Executive Summary : | Polyolefins, a widely used class of polymeric materials, have outstanding properties such as physicochemical resistance and ease of processability. However, their hydrophobic nature and lack of functional groups make them inapplicable for applications like dyeing and printing. The introduction of polar functional groups into the polyolefin backbone can increase their applications and significantly enhance their value. Direct post-modification of polyolefins using efficient chemical reactions is a strategy for producing functionalized polyolefins with desired properties. Modifying the C-H bond is the only rational choice as any modification chemistry of C-C will be detrimental to the material properties of the polyolefins. Developing green, inexpensive, and scalable C-H functionalization methods has potential applications in sustainably upcycling plastic waste and generating new functional materials. One methodology with immense potential is the introduction of functionalities through C-H functionalization. However, the translation of C-H functionalization to oxidative functionalization of polyolefins has been severely limited. The main challenges lie in the use of an oxidatively robust solvent, and CH3CN is the most preferred solvent in most protocols. Based on previous work in developing environmentally benign Fe-based oxidation catalysts, an iron complex can catalyze the oxidation of C-H bonds using "oxygen bleach" as the terminal oxidant under solvent-free conditions. The catalyst and methodology will be developed for small molecules and extended to polyolefins such as polypropylene and polystyrene. |