Methanolysis of polycarbonate catalysed by ionic liquid [Bmim][Ac]

► Ionic liquid [Bmim][Ac] can catalyze methanolysis of PC under moderate conditions. ► The reaction was carried out in absence of any other acid or base catalyst. ► The ionic liquid can be reused 6 times without obvious decrease in reaction results. ► En environmentally friendly strategy was provided for methanolysis of PC. ► The reaction was a first-order kinetic one and activation energy was 167 kJ/mol. The methanolysis of polycarbonate (PC) was studied using ionic liquid [Bmim][Ac] as a catalyst. The effects of temperature, time, methanol dosage and [Bmim][Ac] dosage on the methanolysis reaction were examined. It was shown that the conversion of PC was nearly 100%, and the yield of bisphenol A (BPA) was over 95% under the following conditions: m([Bmim][Ac]):m(PC) = 0.75:1; m(methanol):m(PC) = 0.75:1; a reaction temperature of 90 °C and a total time of 2.5 h. The ionic liquid could be reused up to 6 times with no apparent decrease in the conversion of PC and yield of BPA. The kinetics of the reaction was also investigated. The results indicated that the methanolysis of PC in [Bmim][Ac] was a first-order kinetic reaction with an activation energy of 167 kJ/mol.