Chemical research becomes focused in the use of mechanical energy to perform chemical reactions under solvent-free condition. For this circumstance a lot of different apparatus like ball mills have been developed to automatize the mechanical energy input contrarily to the application of mortar and pestle. Whether scientific articles concern such automatized mechanical energy input the influence of milling parameters on the reaction is scarcely investigated.

Within this course, the oxidative dehydrogenation of -terpinene to p-cymene was performed under solvent-free condition whereby both different chemical and mechanical reaction parameters were varied. For mechanical energy input the planetary ball mill Pulverisette 7 (Fritsch GmbH, Idaar-Oberstein Germany) was been applied. For enhanced milling properties different grinding auxiliaries like alumina or quartz sand were added to the starting materials. On the chemical side oxidation agents, grinding auxiliaries, and molar ratios were varied to assess their influence on the course of reaction. Concerning mechanical variables different milling parameters like rotation frequency, milling time, numbers of milling balls, and beaker respectively ball material were varied. Depending on different reaction parameter quantitative conversions with high selectivities within a reaction time of 5 min were accomplished. After a successful period of results a second reaction the oxidative decomposition of -pinene to nopinone was reviewed und the same aspect mentioned above.