US 12,030,843 B2
Catalytic upcycling of polyolefins via versatile alkylaluminums
Aaron David Sadow, Ames, IA (US); and Uddhav Kanbur, Ames, IA (US)
Assigned to IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC., Ames, IA (US)
Filed by IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC., Ames, IA (US)
Filed on Dec. 17, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/554,666.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/134,014, filed on Jan. 5, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0213007 A1, Jul. 7, 2022
Int. Cl. C07C 4/06 (2006.01); B01J 21/12 (2006.01); B01J 31/14 (2006.01); B01J 31/16 (2006.01); C07C 17/06 (2006.01); C07C 29/50 (2006.01); C07C 41/01 (2006.01); C07C 45/45 (2006.01); C07C 51/15 (2006.01); C07C 67/24 (2006.01); C07C 231/02 (2006.01)
CPC C07C 4/06 (2013.01) [B01J 21/12 (2013.01); B01J 31/143 (2013.01); B01J 31/1616 (2013.01); C07C 17/06 (2013.01); C07C 29/50 (2013.01); C07C 41/01 (2013.01); C07C 45/455 (2013.01); C07C 51/15 (2013.01); C07C 67/24 (2013.01); C07C 231/02 (2013.01); C07C 2521/12 (2013.01); C07C 2531/16 (2013.01); C07C 2531/22 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
 
1. A process comprising:
providing one or more polymers, oligomers, or mixtures thereof;
providing a compound of formula (I):
Al(R1)3  (I),
wherein
R1 is independently selected at each occurrence thereof from the group consisting of H, aryl, C1-C8 alkyl, and C1-C8 alkoxy;
contacting the polymers, oligomers, or mixtures thereof with the compound of formula (I), as a reaction mixture, in the presence of a catalyst having a formula (II):
Met(R2)n@support  (II),
wherein
Met is a metal selected from the group consisting of zirconium, titanium, hafnium, scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, and lutetium;
R2 is independently selected at each occurrence thereof from the group consisting of H, C1-C10 alkyl, C5-C10 alkoxy, and BH4;
n is an integer ranging from 1 to 3; and
support is selected from the group consisting of silica, silica/alumina, and zeolites, under conditions effective to form alkanes, carboxylic acids, alcohols, alkyl halides, or aldehydes, which are shorter than the polymers, the oligomers, or the mixtures thereof; and
recovering the formed shorter alkanes, carboxylic acids, alcohols, alkyl halides, or aldehydes.