Journal
GREEN CHEMISTRY
Volume 15, Issue 6, Pages 1578-1583Publisher
ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY
DOI: 10.1039/c3gc40475g
Keywords
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Funding
- National Science Foundation [CHE1057743]
- Robert A. Welch Foundation [A-0923]
- Division Of Chemistry
- Direct For Mathematical & Physical Scien [1057743] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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High-accuracy CBS-QB3(+) calculations were used to obtain the free energy barriers for several polycarbonates of interest to undergo alkoxide back-biting to give the corresponding epoxide and carbon dioxide. Free energy barriers to epoxide formation were modest for most polymeric alkoxides (12.7-17.4 kcal mol(-1)), and they were higher than for the same starting material to give cyclic carbonate (10.7-14.6 kcal mol(-1)). Poly(cyclopentene carbonate) differs: epoxide formation has a lower free energy barrier (13.3 kcal mol(-1)) than cyclic carbonate formation (19.9 kcal mol(-1)). These results explain why poly(cyclopentene carbonate) depolymerizes to cyclopentene oxide when treated with a strong base, whereas propylene and styrene polycarbonates depolymerize to their respective cyclic carbonates. Recycling via regeneration of the monomer represents the ideal method for producing material of the highest quality.
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