ERIC Number: EJ918126
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-May
Pages: 3
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
The Depolymerization of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) (PET) Using N-Heterocyclic Carbenes from Ionic Liquids
Kamber, Nahrain E.; Tsujii, Yasuhito; Keets, Kate; Waymouth, Robert M.; Pratt, Russell C.; Nyce, Gregory W.; Hedrick, James L.
Journal of Chemical Education, v87 n5 p519-521 May 2010
The depolymerization of the plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) is described in this laboratory procedure. The transesterification reaction used to depolymerize PET employs a highly efficient N-heterocyclic carbene catalyst derived from a commercially available imidazolium ionic liquid. N-heterocyclic carbenes are potent nucleophilic organic catalysts that provide an alternative to traditional metal alkoxide depolymerization catalysts. Deprotonation of the imidazolium generates an N-heterocyclic carbene, which catalyzed the glycolysis of PET in 1 h at atmospheric pressure in refluxing anhydrous tetrahydrofuran to afford bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET). BHET is characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy and melting point determination. This laboratory is designed for individual student work where each student depolymerizes PET prepared from a common water bottle or other source. This experiment is well suited for an introductory organic chemistry laboratory course or a polymer chemistry laboratory course. (Contains 2 figures and 1 note.)
Descriptors: Laboratory Procedures, Organic Chemistry, Science Instruction, Plastics, Scientific Concepts, Science Laboratories, Spectroscopy, College Science, Undergraduate Study
Division of Chemical Education, Inc and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A