Controlled Metathetic Depolymerization of Natural Rubber in Ionic Liquids: From Waste Tires to Telechelic Polyisoprene Oligomers

摘要

A controlled degradation process enabling Natural Rubber (NR) depolymerization and using the olefin metathesis reaction in ionic liquid medium is reported. Using trihexyl-(tetradecyl)phosphonium chloride (Cyphos101) and N,N-dioctylimidazolium bromide (C(8)C(8)ImBr), low-dispersity telechelic polymers are produced. With N,N-dioctylimidazolium bromide (C(8)C(8)ImBr), the degradation process could be performed for five consecutive cycles with excellent control. This degradation process was successfully applied to waste tires.