Rapid, Solid-State Metathesis Routes to Metal Carbides

A fast, convenient synthesis of metal carbides at lower temperatures and involving shorter reaction times than conventional methods would be sure to find widespread application in industry, where transition metal carbides are used for cutting tools, crucibles, and catalysts. Such a reaction, the first solid‐state metathesis of transition metal carbides via a fast (10 s), single‐step reaction, is described here. The products are reported to be highly crystalline in many cases, with good elemental purity, and it is expected that the technique can be extended to mixed metal carbides.