Multi-Functional Organofluoride Catalysts for Polyesters Production and Upcycling Degradation

The production and degradation of polyesters are two crucial processes in polyester materials' life cycle. In this work, multi-functional organocatalysts based on fluorides for both processes are described. Organofluorides were developed as catalysts for ring-opening polymerization of lactide (lactone). Compared with a series of organohalides, organofluoride performed the best catalytic reactivity because of the hydrogen bond interaction between F^- and alcohol initiator. The M_n values of polyester products could be up to 72 kg mol^-1 . With organofluoride catalysts, the ring-opening copolymerization between various anhydrides and epoxides could be established. Furthermore, terpolymerization of anhydride, epoxide, and lactide could be constructed by the self-switchable organofluoride catalyst to yield a block polymer with a strictly controlled polymerization sequence. Organofluorides were also efficient catalysts for upcycling polyester plastic wastes via alcoholysis. Mixed polyester materials could also be hierarchically recycled.