Iron‐Catalyzed Ring‐Closing Depolymerization of Poly(tetrahydrofuran)

Closed encounter: Inexpensive and abundant FeCl3 is demonstrated as an effective pre-catalyst for the ring-closing depolymerization of polytetrahydrofuran (polyTHF) to produce tetrahydrofuran (THF) in high purity and good yields. The protocol is of interest for efficient waste management of end-life polyTHF, and the produced THF is a suitable starting material for new polymeric materials, allowing for an overall efficient recycling process