The work focuses on the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide over solid catalysts undergoing mechanical activation by ball milling. The rate of carbon monoxide conversion at individual ball impacts was estimated by measuring the impact frequency, the mass of powders involved in individual impacts and their duration. The rate of the mechanochemical hydrogenation process was compared with the one of the corresponding thermal process. An enhancement of the catalyst activity under mechanical activation conditions is observed. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.