Polyethylene Terephthalate Deconstruction Catalyzed by a Carbon-Supported Single-Site Molybdenum-Dioxo Complex

Yosi Kratish, Jiaqi Li, Shanfu Liu, Yanshan Gao*, Tobin J. Marks

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

65 Scopus citations

Abstract

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is selectively depolymerized by a carbon-supported single-site molybdenum-dioxo catalyst to terephthalic acid (PTA) and ethylene. The solventless reactions are most efficient under 1 atmosphere of H2. The catalyst exhibits high stability and can be recycled multiple times without loss of activity. Waste beverage bottle PET or a PET + polypropylene (PP) mixture (simulating the bottle + cap) proceeds at 260 °C with complete PET deconstruction and quantitative PTA isolation. Mechanistic studies with a model diester, 1,2-ethanediol dibenzoate, suggest the reaction proceeds by initial retro-hydroalkoxylation/β-C−O scission and subsequent hydrogenolysis of the vinyl benzoate intermediate.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)19857-19861
Number of pages5
JournalAngewandte Chemie - International Edition
Volume59
Issue number45
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2 2020

Keywords

  • heterogenous catalysis
  • hydrogenolysis
  • molybdenum
  • polymers
  • reaction mechanisms

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Catalysis
  • Chemistry(all)

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