title: Completely Recyclable Monomers and Polycarbonate: Approach to Sustainable Polymers.
abstract: It is of great significance to depolymerize used or waste polymers to recover the starting monomers suitable for repolymerization reactions that reform recycled materials no different from the virgin polymer. Herein, we report a novel recyclable plastic: degradable polycarbonate synthesized by dinuclear chromium-complex-mediated copolymerization of CO2with 1-benzyloxycarbonyl-3,4-epoxy pyrrolidine, a meso-epoxide. Notably, the novel polycarbonate with more than 99 % carbonate linkages could be recycled back into the epoxide monomer in quantitative yield under mild reaction conditions. Remarkably, the copolymerization/depolymerization processes can be achieved by the ON/OFF reversible temperature switch, and recycled several times without any change in the epoxide monomer and copolymer. These characteristics accord well with the concept of perfectly sustainable polymers.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China.
authors.forename: Jia-Zhi
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Min
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Bing
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Lu
keywords: carbon dioxide; depolymerization; polycarbonates; recyclable polymers; temperature switch