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Updated: Jul 11, 2025

Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers
Published on: December 16, 2022
Bicyclic Guanidine Promoted Mechanistically Divergent Depolymerization and Recycling of a Biobased Polycarbonate
David H Lamparelli1, Alba Villar-Yanez1,2, Lorenz Dittrich1
1Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ-Cerca), the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Av. Països Catalans 16, 43007, Tarragona, Spain.
Abstract:
We here report the organocatalytic and temperature-controlled depolymerization of biobased poly(limonene carbonate) providing access to its trans-configured cyclic carbonate as the major product. The base TBD (1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene) offers a unique opportunity to break down polycarbonates via end-group activation or main chain scission pathways as supported by various controls and computational analysis. These energetically competitive processes represent an unprecedented divergent approach to polycarbonate recycling. The trans limonene carbonate can be converted back to its polycarbonate via ring-opening polymerization using the same organocatalyst in the presence of an alcohol initiator, offering thus a potential circular and practical route for polycarbonate recycling.
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