Data from: Gallium-catalyzed boron-assisted recycling of silicone waste yields key chlorosilanes

Chemical recycling to monomers is a key strategy for a sustainable
circular polymer economy. However, most efforts have focused on polymers
with carbon backbones. Recycling of silicone polymers and corresponding
materials, featuring a robust inorganic backbone and tunable properties,
remains in its infancy. We present a general method for depolymerization
of a very wide range of silicone-based materials and post-consumer waste,
including end-of-life crosslinked polydimethylsiloxane-based networks
within formulated materials. The reaction proceeds at 40 °C, harnessing an
efficient gallium catalyst for a million-fold rate enhancement and boron
trichloride as the chlorine source, to produce nearly quantitative yields
of (methyl)chlorosilanes, key intermediates in the Müller-Rochow process
that anchors the silicone industry.