Catalyst for ester metathesis

A method of decomposing an esterification product, said method comprising:

• providing an esterification product which is a polymer and a catalyst selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR13## and mixtures thereof;
• wherein D is selected from the group consisting of carbon and silicon;
• Q is selected from the group consisting of O, S, and NR;
• M is selected from the group consisting of sodium, lithium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium;
• R, R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R', R", and R'" are independently selected from the group consisting of H, O, halogen, Si, N, S, P, C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 linear or branched alkyl, C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 cycloalkyl, and aromatic;
• and
• reacting said esterification product material in the presence of said catalyst to decompose said esterification product and form at least one ester-containing material selected from the group consisting of ester monomers, ester oligomers, ester polymers and mixtures thereof, wherein said reacting step is a transesterification metathesis reaction.

A method of forming an esterification product, said method comprising:

• providing (1) at least one component selected from the group consisting of ester monomers, ester oligomers, ester polymers, and mixtures thereof, and (2) a catalyst selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR15## and mixtures thereof;
• wherein D is selected from the group consisting of carbon and silicon;
• Q is selected from the group consisting of O, S, and NR;
• M is selected from the group consisting of sodium, lithium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium;
• R, R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R', R", and R'" are independently selected from the group consisting of H, O, halogen, Si, N, S, P, C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 linear or branched alkyl, C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 cycloalkyl, and aromatic;
• and
• reacting said material in the presence of said catalyst to form an esterification product from at least one component selected from the group consisting of ester monomers, ester oligomers, ester polymers, and mixtures thereof, wherein said esterification product which is a polymer selected from the group consisting of a thioester, a phosphorous-based ester, and combinations thereof;
• and wherein said reacting step is a transesterification metathesis reaction.

A method of decomposing an esterification product, said method comprising:

• providing an esterification product which is a polymer selected from the group consisting of a thioester, a phosphorous-based ester, and mixtures thereof and a catalyst selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR17## and mixtures thereof;
• wherein D is selected from the group consisting of carbon and silicon;
• Q is selected from the group consisting of O, S, and NR;
• M is selected from the group consisting of sodium, lithium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium;
• R, R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R', R", and R'" are independently selected from the group consisting of H, O, halogen, Si, N, S, P, C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 linear or branched alkyl, C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 cycloalkyl, and aromatic;
• and
• reacting said esterification product material in the presence of said catalyst to decompose said esterification product and form at least one ester-containing material selected from the group consisting of ester monomers, ester oligomers, ester polymers and mixtures thereof, wherein said reacting step is a transesterification metathesis reaction.