Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 19, 2025
08:12
Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers
Published on: December 16, 2022
3.4K
Chemically recyclable polythioesters prepared by ring-opening polymerization of dithiolactone and monothiodilactone
Wenxiu Lv1,2, Maosheng Li1, Jinlong Chen1
1Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China.
Fundamental Research
|June 18, 2025
Summary
Chemically recyclable polythioesters offer a promising solution to plastic waste. This review explores advancements in their synthesis via ring-opening polymerization of cyclic thioesters, highlighting future applications.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Sustainable Chemistry
Background:
- The escalating plastic crisis necessitates the development of recyclable polymer alternatives.
- Polythioesters, synthesized via ring-opening polymerization (ROP), exhibit potential due to labile thioester bonds and low monomer ring strain.
- Current limitations in polythioester diversity and depolymerization efficiency hinder widespread adoption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize recent progress in the ROP of dithiolactone and monothiodilactone monomers for creating chemically recyclable polythioesters.
- To discuss the potential and challenges associated with the practical application of these advanced polythioesters.
Main Methods:
- Review of the latest advancements in ring-opening polymerization techniques for cyclic thioesters.
- Analysis of monomer structures (dithiolactone and monothiodilactone) influencing polymer properties.
- Evaluation of depolymerization efficiency and recyclability of the synthesized polythioesters.
Main Results:
- Recent advancements have expanded the scope of ROP for synthesizing diverse polythioester architectures.
- Dithiolactone and monothiodilactone monomers show promise for creating recyclable polythioesters.
- The labile thioester linkage is key to the chemical recyclability of these polymers.
Conclusions:
- Chemically recyclable polythioesters derived from dithiolactone and monothiodilactone represent a significant advancement in sustainable polymer science.
- Further research is needed to overcome challenges in scalability, performance diversity, and efficient depolymerization for practical applications.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters
2.3K
The introduction of polyesters has brought major development to the textile industry. The wrinkle-free behavior of polyester blends has eliminated the need for starching and ironing clothes.
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the...
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the...
2.3K
01:16Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP)
2.7K
Ring-opening metathesis polymerization or ROMP involves strained cycloalkenes as starting materials. The mechanism of ROMP proceeds by reacting cycloalkene with Grubbs catalyst to give metallacyclobutane intermediate which undergoes a ring-opening reaction to form new carbene. The new carbene reacts with another molecule of cycloalkene. Repetition of these steps leads to the formation of an unsaturated open-chain polymer product. All these steps are reversible, however, relieving the ring...
2.7K
01:13Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview
2.2K
Recently, the development of olefin metathesis polymerization advanced the field of polymer synthesis. Simply put, the reorganization of substituents on their double bonds between two olefins in the presence of a catalyst is known as the olefin metathesis reaction. The use of metathesis reaction for polymer synthesis is called olefin metathesis polymerization.
Ruthenium-based Grubbs catalyst is the most commonly used catalyst for olefin metathesis polymerization. Grubbs catalyst consists...
Ruthenium-based Grubbs catalyst is the most commonly used catalyst for olefin metathesis polymerization. Grubbs catalyst consists...
2.2K
00:53Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)
2.0K
Acyclic diene metathesis polymerization or ADMET polymerization involves cross-metathesis of terminal dienes, such as 1,8-nonadiene, to give linear unsaturated polymer and ethylene. As ADMET is a reversible process, the formed ethylene gas must be removed from the reaction mixture to complete the polymerization process.
Similar to cross-metathesis, ADMET also involves the formation of metallacyclobutane intermediate by [2+2] cycloaddition of one of the double bonds of a terminal diene with...
Similar to cross-metathesis, ADMET also involves the formation of metallacyclobutane intermediate by [2+2] cycloaddition of one of the double bonds of a terminal diene with...
2.0K
01:17Thermal Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
2.1K
The stereochemistry of electrocyclic reactions is strongly influenced by the orbital symmetry of the polyene HOMO. Under thermal conditions, the reaction proceeds via the ground-state HOMO.
Selection Rules: Thermal Activation
Conjugated systems containing an even number of π-electron pairs undergo a conrotatory ring closure. For example, thermal electrocyclization of (2E,4E)-2,4-hexadiene, a conjugated diene containing two π-electron pairs, gives trans-3,4-dimethylcyclobutene.
Selection Rules: Thermal Activation
Conjugated systems containing an even number of π-electron pairs undergo a conrotatory ring closure. For example, thermal electrocyclization of (2E,4E)-2,4-hexadiene, a conjugated diene containing two π-electron pairs, gives trans-3,4-dimethylcyclobutene.
2.1K
02:26Base-Catalyzed Ring-Opening of Epoxides
8.9K
Due to their highly strained structures, epoxides can readily undergo ring-opening reactions through nucleophilic substitution, either in the presence of an acid or a base. The nucleophilic substitution reactions in the presence of acid are called acid-catalyzed ring-opening reactions, and nucleophilic substitution reactions in the presence of a base are called base-catalyzed ring-opening reactions. Epoxides undergo base-catalyzed ring-opening reactions in the presence of a strong nucleophile...
8.9K