Divergent silylium catalysis enables facile poly(vinyl chloride) upcycling to poly(ethylene-co-styrene) derivatives

Abstract

Tandem hydrodechlorination/Friedel-Crafts alkylation of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is achieved using silylium ion catalysts to prepare new styrenic copolymers of polyethylene. In many cases, conversion of PVC was complete within minutes, indicating facile means of PVC functionalization at low catalyst loadings.