Highly Active MgP Catalyst for Biodiesel Production and Polyethylene Terephthalate Depolymerization

Abstract A highly active heterogeneous catalyst was designed and employed for two relevant transesterification reactions. i. e. biodiesel production and depolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The material was prepared in the presence of pectin by the co‐precipitation method followed by calcination at 600 °C (MgP). MgP is efficient for biodiesel production, with a yield of ≈99 % in 6 h/65 °C, and with a molar ratio methanol: oil of 21 : 1. The reference material (MgR, prepared in absence of pectin) showed a poor catalytic performance in the same experimental conditions. For the methanolysis of PET, 100 % PET conversion was obtained with 3 wt % catalyst, 200 : 1 methanol: PET molar ratio at milder conditions 160 °C/4 h, compared to a 33 % conversion without the presence of a catalyst. The catalyst showed remarkable stability and negligible deactivation after five consecutive runs. Materials were characterized by SEM, XRD, IR, TGA, and BET.