skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Polyethylene Terephthalate Deconstruction Catalyzed by a Carbon‐Supported Single‐Site Molybdenum‐Dioxo Complex

Journal Article · · Angewandte Chemie (International Edition)
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Department of Chemistry and the Institute for Catalysis in Energy Processes (ICEP) Northwestern University 2145 Sheridan Road Evanston IL 60208-3113 USA

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 H 2 . 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.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
FG02-03ER15457
OSTI ID:
1786075
Journal Information:
Angewandte Chemie (International Edition), Journal Name: Angewandte Chemie (International Edition) Vol. 59 Journal Issue: 45; ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
Germany
Language:
English

References (62)

Tris(pentafluorophenyl)boron-Catalyzed Hydrosilation of Aromatic Aldehydes, Ketones, and Esters journal January 1996
Studies on thermal and thermo-oxidative degradation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(butylene terephthalate) journal January 2001
Combining Reclaimed PET with Bio-based Monomers Enables Plastics Upcycling journal April 2019
Efficient Homogeneous Catalytic Hydrogenation of Esters to Alcohols journal February 2006
The Depolymerization of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) Using N-Heterocyclic Carbenes from Ionic Liquids journal May 2010
Fe-containing magnetic ionic liquid as an effective catalyst for the glycolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) journal March 2010
Mechanistic comparison of β-H elimination, β-OH elimination, and nucleophilic displacement reactions of β-hydroxy alkyl rhodium porphyrin complexes journal January 2011
A novel catalyst for the glycolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) journal January 2003
Efficient Chemoselective Reduction of N ‐Oxides and Sulfoxides Using a Carbon‐Supported Molybdenum‐Dioxo Catalyst and Alcohol journal May 2019
One-step sonochemical synthesis of a graphene oxide–manganese oxide nanocomposite for catalytic glycolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) journal January 2012
A review on thermal decomposition and combustion of thermoplastic polyesters journal December 2004
Kinetic Isotope Effects as a Guide to Transition State Geometries for the Intramolecular Cope and Ylide Elimination Reactions. An ab Initio MO Study journal July 1995
Thermal degradation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) at the processing temperature journal January 2004
Efficient carbon-supported heterogeneous molybdenum-dioxo catalyst for chemoselective reductive carbonyl coupling journal January 2017
Superparamagnetic γ-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles as an easily recoverable catalyst for the chemical recycling of PET journal January 2014
On the Functional Group Tolerance of Ester Hydrogenation and Polyester Depolymerisation Catalysed by Ruthenium Complexes of Tridentate Aminophosphine Ligands journal June 2015
Accumulation and fragmentation of plastic debris in global environments
  • Barnes, David K. A.; Galgani, Francois; Thompson, Richard C.
  • Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Vol. 364, Issue 1526 https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2008.0205
journal July 2009
Multiphoton Infrared Initiated Thermal Reactions of Esters: Pseudopericyclic Eight-Centered cis -Elimination journal January 2009
Chemically recyclable polymers: a circular economy approach to sustainability journal January 2017
An engineered PET depolymerase to break down and recycle plastic bottles journal April 2020
Chemical recycling of waste plastics for new materials production journal June 2017
Reactions of mer -Mo(H)(CO)(NO)(PMePh 2 ) 3 with Ethylene, Propylene, and Styrene That Bear on Alternating CO/Olefin Coupling Chemistry journal May 1997
Melting Behavior of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Crystallized and Annealed under Elevated Pressure journal February 1980
Molecular catalyst systems as key enablers for tailored polyesters and polycarbonate recycling concepts journal August 2018
Ethylene addition to group-6 transition metal oxo complexes – A theoretical study journal February 2008
A bacterium that degrades and assimilates poly(ethylene terephthalate) journal March 2016
News Feature: On the brink of a recycling revolution? journal January 2017
Enzyme-catalyzed transesterification of vinyl esters on cellulose solids journal January 2001
β-Heteroatom versus β-Hydrogen Elimination:  A Theoretical Study journal February 2006
Glycolysis of postconsumer polyethylene terephthalate waste journal January 2010
Ultrasmall Cobalt Nanoparticles as a Catalyst for PET Glycolysis: A Green Protocol for Pure Hydroxyethyl Terephthalate Precipitation without Water journal July 2018
Efficient catalytic greenhouse gas-free hydrogen and aldehyde formation from aqueous alcohol solutions journal January 2017
Room Temperature Organocatalyzed Reductive Depolymerization of Waste Polyethers, Polyesters, and Polycarbonates journal February 2015
Dioxomolybdenum complex as an efficient and cheap catalyst for the reductive depolymerization of plastic waste into value-added compounds and fuels journal January 2020
Depolymerization of Waste Plastics to Monomers and Chemicals Using a Hydrosilylation Strategy Facilitated by Brookhart’s Iridium(III) Catalyst journal June 2018
Recent Developments in the Chemical Recycling of Postconsumer Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Waste journal September 2014
Reactivity of a Carbon-Supported Single-Site Molybdenum Dioxo Catalyst for Biodiesel Synthesis journal September 2016
Solubilization and Upgrading of High Polyethylene Terephthalate Loadings in a Low-Costing Bifunctional Ionic Liquid journal January 2018
Benzoic acid recovery via waste poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) catalytic pyrolysis using sulphated zirconia catalyst journal September 2018
First-Row Transition Metal-Containing Ionic Liquids as Highly Active Catalysts for the Glycolysis of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) journal January 2015
The kinetic isotope effect in the pyrolysis of esters and the nature of the transition state journal January 1972
Poly(1,4-cyclohexanedimethylene 2,6-naphthalate) polyester with high melting point: Effect of different synthesis methods on molecular weight and properties journal January 2018
Unexpected efficiency of cyclic amidine catalysts in depolymerizing poly(ethylene terephthalate) journal January 2013
Hydrolysis of Alkenyl Esters and Ethers Catalyzed by Metal Complexes journal February 2004
Catalytic pyrolysis of polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate over Al-MSU-F journal July 2018
Conversion of Polyethylene Terephthalate Based Waste Carpet to Benzene-Rich Oils through Thermal, Catalytic, and Catalytic Steam Pyrolysis journal April 2016
Efficient Homogeneous Catalytic Hydrogenation of Esters to Alcohols journal February 2006
Plastics recycling with a difference journal April 2018
Comparing conventional and microwave-assisted heating in PET degradation mediated by imidazolium-based halometallate complexes journal January 2019
Manganese-, cobalt-, and zinc-based mixed-oxide spinels as novel catalysts for the chemical recycling of poly(ethylene terephthalate) via glycolysis journal April 2013
Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer to a Molybdenum Ethylene Complex Yields a β-Agostic Ethyl: Structure, Dynamics and Mechanism journal September 2018
Thermal degradation studies of terephthalate polyesters: 1. Poly(alkylene terephthalates) journal January 1991
Urea as an efficient and reusable catalyst for the glycolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) wastes and the role of hydrogen bond in this process journal January 2012
Recycling of Polymers: A Review journal May 2014
Some Organometallic Chemistry of Molybdenum Complexes that Contain the [HIPTN 3 N] 3 - Triamidoamine Ligand, {[3,5-(2,4,6- i -Pr 3 C 6 H 2 ) 2 C 6 H 3 NCH 2 CH 2 ] 3 N} 3 - journal August 2005
Controlled hydrogenative depolymerization of polyesters and polycarbonates catalyzed by ruthenium(ii) PNN pincer complexes journal January 2014
Chemical Recycling of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) journal April 1997
Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean journal February 2015
Der Abbau von Polyäthylenterephthalat journal March 1968
Mechanisms of Organocatalytic Amidation and Trans-Esterification of Aromatic Esters As a Model for the Depolymerization of Poly(ethylene) Terephthalate journal December 2012
Fe 3 O 4 -boosted MWCNT as an efficient sustainable catalyst for PET glycolysis journal January 2016
The Degradation of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) journal March 1968

Similar Records

Polyethylene Terephthalate Deconstruction Catalyzed by a Carbon‐Supported Single‐Site Molybdenum‐Dioxo Complex
Journal Article · Tue Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Angewandte Chemie · OSTI ID:1786075

Efficient Polyester Hydrogenolytic Deconstruction via Tandem Catalysis
Journal Article · Thu Dec 16 00:00:00 EST 2021 · Angewandte Chemie (International Edition) · OSTI ID:1786075

Efficient Polyester Hydrogenolytic Deconstruction via Tandem Catalysis
Journal Article · Thu Dec 16 00:00:00 EST 2021 · Angewandte Chemie · OSTI ID:1786075

Related Subjects