CATALYTIC UPCYCLING OF POLYOLEFINS VIA VERSATILE ALKYLALUMINUMS

Disclosed herein is a process for the conversion of polymers, oligomers, or mixtures thereof into shorter alkanes, carboxylic acids, alcohols, alkyl halides or aldehydes. This process includes contacting the polymers, oligomers, or mixtures thereof with the compound of formula (I):Al(R1)3 (I)where R1 is independently selected at each occurrence thereof from the group consisting of H, aryl, C1-C8 alkyl, and C1-C8 alkoxy, as a reaction mixture, in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of a transition metal catalyst, a lanthanide series metal catalyst, or combinations thereof.