A Novel Construction of Ring-Opening Polymerization and Chemical Recycling System

This article summarizes our recent efforts to chemical recycling of polymeric materials based on the equilibrium polymerization character of cyclic monomers. Spiro orthoesters ( SOE s), bicyclo orthoester, cyclic carbonates, and dithiocarbonates undergo ring-opening polymerization to afford the corresponding polymers, and the resulting polymers depolymerize to give the starting monomers under cationic or anionic conditions. Further, crosslinking and decrosslinking systems of bifunctional SOE s and a polymer having SOE moiety in the side chain are described.