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Title Zn(II)- and Mg(II)-Complexes of a Tridentate {ONN} Ligand: Application to Poly(lactic acid) Production and Chemical Upcycling of Polyesters
ID_Doc 19931
Authors Payne, JM; Kociok-Köhn, G; Emanuelsson, EAC; Jones, MD
Title Zn(II)- and Mg(II)-Complexes of a Tridentate {ONN} Ligand: Application to Poly(lactic acid) Production and Chemical Upcycling of Polyesters
Year 2021
Published Macromolecules, 54.0, 18
DOI 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c01207
Abstract The synthesis and characterization of two homoleptic Zn(II)- and Mg(II)-complexes based on a simple tridentate {NNO} ligand are reported. The production of biocompatible atactic poly(lactic acid) (PLA) under industrially relevant melt conditions is demonstrated, noting high activity for Zn(1)(2) at room temperature in CH2Cl2 (TOF = 184 h(-1)). Mg(1)(2) and Zn(1)(2) were shown to facilitate rapid PLA methanolysis into methyl lactate (Me-LA) under mild conditions, achieving up to 85% Me-LA yield within 30 min at 50 degrees C in THF. Further kinetic analysis found Mg(1)(2) and Zn(1)(2) to exhibit k(app) values of 0.23 +/- 0.0076 and 0.15 +/- 0.0029 min(-1), respectively {8 wt % cat. loading}, among the highest reported thus far. Zn(1)(2) retained excellent activity for both poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) degradations, demonstrating catalyst versatility. Various upcycling strategies (e.g., methanolysis, glycolysis, and aminolysis) were employed to achieve a broad substrate scope, which included bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET), high value terephthalamides, and methyl 6-hydroxyhexanoate. Optimal glycolysis conditions using Zn(1)(2) enabled 64% BHET yield within 1 h at 180 degrees C, a rare example of PET glycolysis mediated by a discrete homogeneous metal-based catalyst. The application of such catalysts for PET aminolysis and PCL methanolysis has been reported for the first time.
Author Keywords
Index Keywords Index Keywords
Document Type Other
Open Access Open Access
Source Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED)
EID WOS:000703552500019
WoS Category Polymer Science
Research Area Polymer Science
PDF https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/files/225844503/Macromolecules_NOT_highlighted.pdf
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