Mechanical C–C, C–O, and O–O bond formation between methanol molecules by laser-driven shock wave

In this paper, all molecules (1,2-ethanediol, ethanol, methoxymethanol, dimethyl ether, and dimethyl peroxide) predicted to be produced as a result of C–C, C–O, or O–O bond formation between methanol molecules induced by laser-driven shock wave were detected and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. In this process, the ultrahigh pressure resulting from the shock wave is considered to reduce the interatomic distance between molecules to mechanically create a new chemical bond. Methoxymethanol production was further verified by infrared absorption spectroscopy of the laser-irradiated methanol concentrated by vacuum distillation. In the concentrated sample, polyoxymethylene hemiformals, which are presumably produced by the polymerization of methoxymethanol, were also found.