Mechanochemically driven solid-state Diels-Alder reaction of graphite into graphene nanoplatelets

A mechanochemically driven solid-state Diels-Alder reaction is demonstrated via dry ball-milling graphite as the diene in the presence of maleic anhydride or maleimide as the dienophile. On the basis of various characterizations, the Diels-Alder adducts are edge-selectively functionalized and subsequently delaminated into graphene nanoplatelets.