A General Strategy for the Degradation of Nitrile-Containing Plastics and Rubbers via Nickel-Catalyzed Decyanation and Sequential Ethenolysis

Nitrile-containing polymers feature extensively in consumer products and industry, yet efficient catalytic upcycling strategies remain underexplored. Herein, we report a general catalytic degradation strategy that enables the transformation of diverse nitrile-containing polymers via a tandem process combining nickel-catalyzed decyanation with ruthenium-catalyzed ethenolysis. This strategy enables cyano group removal and recycling into value-added nitrile compounds without releasing highly toxic cyanide species. Moreover, the process can be performed in a one-pot manner by employing ethylene as both the cyano group acceptor and the metathesis partner, thereby streamlining the degradation process, enhancing overall efficiency, and increasing potential for industrial adoption.