Abstract
ZnII‐complexes bearing half‐salan ligands were exploited in the mild and selective chemical upcycling of various commercial polyesters and polycarbonates. Remarkably, we report the first example of discrete metal‐mediated poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (BPA‐PC) methanolysis being appreciably active at room temperature. Indeed, Zn(2)2 and Zn(2)Et achieved complete BPA‐PC consumption within 12–18 mins in 2‐Me‐THF, noting high bisphenol A (BPA) yields (SBPA =85–91 %) within 2–4 h. Further kinetic analysis found such catalysts to possess kapp values of 0.28±0.040 and 0.47±0.049 min−1 respectively at 4 wt%, the highest reported to date. A completely circular upcycling approach to plastic waste was demonstrated through the production of several renewable poly(ester‐amide)s (PEAs), based on a terephthalamide monomer derived from bottle‐grade poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), which exhibited excellent thermal properties.
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