The Preparation of Prussian Blue in a Mortar: An Example to Teach Sustainable Chemistry with Mechanochemical Reactions

Abstract

Solvent-free mechanochemical reactions represent an important path towards sustainable chemistry. The preparation of Prussian blue from solid iron and hexacyanoferrate compounds by the simple use of a mortar and pestle is an easy, inexpensive, and fast method to teach mechanochemical reactions. The course of the reaction can be followed very well visually via the color change of the solid mixture towards blue. With this communication, earlier publications on Prussian blue and mechanochemistry in the field of chemical education are updated and extended.

Keywords

• Prussian blue
• mechanochemistry
• green chemistry
• solvent-free synthesis
• general public
• demonstrations