Processes for recovering dialkyl terephthalates from tetramethyl cyclobutanediol (tmcd)-containing polymers

A process for recovering one or more dialkyl terephthalates from a feedstock, comprising:

• exposing a feedstock composition comprising one or more tetramethylcyclobutanediol (TMCD)—containing polyesters to:
• i) ethylene glycol (EG), methanol, or both;
• and ii) a depolymerization catalyst, in a first reaction vessel under depolymerization conditions to provide a first mixture having a first solid component and a first liquid component, the first liquid component comprising one or more depolymerization products, wherein the depolymerization conditions comprise a temperature of from 150° C. to 260° C., and a pressure of from 1 atm (14.7 psig) to 102 atm (1500 psig), and a time period of from 0.5 hours to 10 hours;
• cooling at least a portion of the first mixture to a temperature below 150° C.;
• exposing at least a portion of the first liquid component to an alcohol composition and an alcoholysis catalyst under conditions including a temperature of from 23° C. to 70° C. and a pressure of from 1 atm to 2 atm for a time period of 0.5 hours to 5 hours to provide a second mixture, the second mixture comprising one or more dialkyl terephthalates;
• and separating at least a portion of the one or more dialkyl terephthalates by solid-liquid separation.