[DoctorDomo]

A thought I've been pondering for a while now, after learning how FM and AM radio modulation work, as well as how various forms of spectroscopy work, is the idea of beaming a continuous, modulated package of wavelengths designed to cause various resonances (i.e. vibrational, valence electronic, inner electronic) simultaneously, at just the right times to trigger desired chemical interactions. Are people already working on this? I'm a bit obsessed with the idea because there are so many ways to exploit physical properties of molecules with electromagnetic fields, as well as separate magnetic and electric fields. One form of spectroscopy which fascinates me most is NMR, the way it uses a powerful magnetic field to create (well, more like expose) a new resonance variable that can be exploited. Who knows what else there is like that waiting to be discovered. I don't know if microwaves have been proven to enhance reactivity, or whether its just the heat induced by them, but I bet there would be a way to setup conditions so that the molecules rotate in a specific orientation, and this be utilised for various things. I know ultrasound wavelengths are way too big to interact with the molecular scale, but the cavitation process could probably be exploited in the right conditions.

The only photochemistry I've learned about so far is UV-Vis photochemistry. Well I suppose electrochemistry falls into the realms of what we're talking about here. Modulation of various resonant phenomena to manipulate chemical processes. NMR is impressive I must say, and I think when superconducting materials become more available, we'll be able to build machines to control chemical reactions. Maybe even couple it with microwave frequencies, and IR frequencies to trigger nuclear overhauser effect induced reactions. IR frequencies must be used in chemical reactions, altering bond lengths like that must alter activation barriers for reactions and if modulated right (i.e. kind of like the way solvent signals in NMR are suppressed via periodic 90 degree pulses), the bond lengths of each reagent could be expended in a synchronised manner to trigger new bond formations. I admit, I'm a bit obsessed with modulation of frequencies, but whats really got me pondering is combining numerous resonant phenomena, and modulating them in just the right manner to control physical processes.

I'm a programmer, but I really need to get into electronics, because this will give me way more insight into things. Protons and electrons are exploited in spectroscopy, but I've only read about neutrons being used in nuclear chemistry and quantum mechanical experiments, haven't heard of them being used to alter activation barriers of reagents. Or using paramagnetic materials like gadolinium complexes, in conjunction with rotating magnetic and/or electric fields to selectively interact with enantiomers to gain better stereoselectivity in reactions. Or using paramagnetic isotopes as chiral auxillaries in reaction vessels that are situated between electric and magnetic fields in such a way that they align with it, then use EM radiation to knock off the Boltzmann distribution. Sorry for raving like a madman, just had an urge to do some brainstorming. Electronic technology is evolving at an exponential rate, no reason chemical technology not evolve with it. Well it is, computational chemistry is getting more and more useful as computer hardware improves, but thats just the tip of the iceberg, God knows what we can do when we have the computing power and technology (i.e. easy ability to produce superconductors).

[Corribus]

Are people already working on this?

Yes, you might want to look into what is sometimes called mode-selective or laser-selective chemistry. The idea being that heat is as extremely inefficient way to funnel energy into specific molecular vibrational modes that need to be activated to make a specific reaction go. Whereas if you can selectively excite the vibrational mode along a reaction coordinate, you can cause a reaction to proceed with far less energy.

[Irlanur]

As already mentioned, mode-selective chemistry goes into this direction. The problem is the redistribution of energy over the whole molecule and all the established kinetic theory only treats molecules with the energy distributed. I had a professor working on this (http://www.ir.ethz.ch/research.htm).

Electronic technology is evolving at an exponential rate, no reason chemical technology not evolve with it. Well it is, computational chemistry is getting more and more useful as computer hardware improves, but thats just the tip of the iceberg, God knows what we can do when we have the computing power and technology (i.e. easy ability to produce superconductors).

Believe me, they go hand in hand. Electronic technology without the physico-chemical research over the past hundred or more years? impossible. (and the other way round). The need to go for supercomputers is actually in part driven by computational chemists.