Molecules under extreme conditions: Chemical reactions at high pressure

The basic features of diamond anvil cells and of the available techniques to study chemical reactions at ultrahigh pressures are reviewed. A number of study cases including reactions of simple molecular systems (like nitrogen, carbon dioxide and monoxide, nitrous oxide), of unsaturated compounds (like acetylene, butadiene, propylene, cyano derivatives) and of aromatics are discussed to illustrate the perspectives of chemical reactivity at ultrahigh pressures.