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Updated: Jun 7, 2025

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer
Published on: November 30, 2020
Catalytically transforming legacy phthalate esters from plastic waste into benzoic acid and benzoate plasticizers
Simon Windels1, Dirk E De Vos1
1Centre for Membrane separations, Adsorption, Catalysis and Spectroscopy for sustainable solutions (cMACS), KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium. dirk.devos@kuleuven.be.
Abstract:
This study demonstrates the catalytic conversion of real plastic waste-extracted phthalate plasticizers into benzoic acid (BA), via a one-pot hydrolysis-decarboxylation process based on inexpensive Cu2O and H-beta zeolite, in water as a safe and environmentally benign solvent. As a result of the excellent product selectivity in both reactions, BA was obtained in quantitative yields (>99%). Esterification of the purified carboxylic acid resulted in the production of an alternative benzoate plasticizer, with a total process yield up to 94%.
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