Ring-Opening Polymerization for the Goal of Chemically Recyclable Polymers.

A crucial modern dilemma relates to the ecological crisis created by excess plastic waste production. An emerging technology for reducing plastic waste is the production of " chemically recyclable " polymers. These polymers can be efficiently synthesized through ring-opening polymerization (ROP/ROMP) and later recycled to pristine monomer by ring-closing depolymerization, in an efficient circular-type system. This Perspective aims to explore the chemistry involved in the preparation of these monomer/polymer systems, while also providing an overview of the challenges involved, including future directions.