Abstract
The alcoholysis reaction of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and n‐butanol to produce dibutyl terephthalate (DBTP) and ethylene glycol (EG) was investigated in the presence of a Brönsted–Lewis acidic ionic liquid (IL). It was found that a synergetic effect of Brönsted and Lewis acid sites enhanced the IL catalytic performance, and (3‐sulfonic acid) propyltriethylammonium chlorozincinate [HO3S‐(CH2)3‐NEt3]Cl‐ZnCl2 (molar fraction of ZnCl2 (x) was 0.67) was a good catalyst for the reaction. The conversion of PET was 100%, and the yields of DBTP and EG were 95.3% and 95.7% at 205°C for 8 h, respectively. The reusability of IL was good and after it was used seven times, PET conversion and the yields of DBTP and EG did not significantly decrease. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 1840–1844, 2013
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