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Updated: Jul 31, 2025

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Published on: November 21, 2017
Degradation of Polyacrylates by One-Pot Sequential Dehydrodecarboxylation and Ozonolysis
Angie B Korpusik1, Alafate Adili2, Kamal Bhatt2
1George & Josephine Butler Polymer Research Laboratory, Center for Macromolecular Science & Engineering, Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States.
Abstract:
We establish a synthetically convenient method to degrade polyacrylate homopolymers. Carboxylic acids are installed along the polymer backbone by partial hydrolysis of the ester side chains, and then, in a one-pot sequential procedure, the carboxylic acids are converted into alkenes and oxidatively cleaved. This process enables the robustness and properties of polyacrylates to be maintained during their usable lifetime. The ability to tune the degree of degradation was demonstrated by varying the carboxylic acid content of the polymers. This method is compatible with a wide range of polymers prepared from vinyl monomers through copolymerization of acrylic acid with different monomers including acrylates, acrylamides, and styrenics.
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