A Multitool for Circular Economy: Fast Ring-Opening Polymerization and Chemical Recycling of (Bio)polyesters Using a Single Aliphatic Guanidine Carboxy Zinc Catalyst.

A new aliphatic hybrid guanidine N,O-donor ligand (TMGeech) and its zinc chloride complex ([ZnCl2 (TMGeech)]) are presented. This complex displays high catalytic activity for the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of lactide in toluene, exceeding the toxic industry standard tin octanoate by a factor of 10. The high catalytic activity of [ZnCl2 (TMGeech)] is further demonstrated under industrially preferred melt conditions, reaching high lactide conversions within seconds. To bridge the gap towards a sustainable circular (bio)economy, the catalytic activity of [ZnCl2 (TMGeech)] for the chemical recycling of polylactide (PLA) by alcoholysis in THF is investigated. Fast production of different value-added lactates at mild temperatures is demonstrated. Selective PLA degradation from mixtures with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and a polymer blend, catalyst recycling, and a detailed kinetic analysis are presented. For the first time, chemical recycling of post-consumer PET producing different value-added materials is demonstrated using a guanidine-based zinc catalyst. Therefore, [ZnCl2 (TMGeech)] is a promising, highly active multitool, not only to implement a circular (bio)plastics economy, but also to tackle today's ongoing plastics pollution.