Synthesis Dibenzyl Terephthalate Through Depolimerization of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) as Alternative of Waste Plastics Recycling

Synthesis dibenzyl terephathalate were done through PET degradation by refluxing in benzyl alcohol at 145 degrees C temperature for 20, 24, and 28 hours in the presence of zinc acetate catalyst. The result of degradation was purified by recristalization in methanol and then melting point (mp), FTIR, H-1 NMR spectra, and TLC spot were determined. The melting point of product degradation for 28 hours was 98-99 degrees C. Based FTIR spectra known that compunds of product degradation have OH, C=O, C-O, CH, monosubstituted benzene, disubstituted benzene groups, while on H-1 NMR spectra showed chemical shift at 8.2 ppm (s, 10 H of monosubtituted benzene), 7.5 ppm (s, 9 H consist of 4 H disubstituted benzene and 5 H of aromatic benzyl alcohol), 5.4 ppm (s, 1 H from OH benzyl alcohol), 4.8 ppm (s, 4 H of methylene), and 2.9 ppm (s, 7 H of other traces). The single spot of TLC plate indicated that product degradation for 28 hours might be a single compund. Based these characterization concluded that compound of product degradation was dibenzyl terephthalate contains benzyl alcohol and other traces.