Methods of polymer and/or oligomer depolymerization are described herein which, in some embodiments, enable facile polymer and/or oligomer decomposition under mild, non-energy intensive conditions. Briefly, a method of depolymerization comprises providing a reaction mixture comprising a transition metal catalyst, and a polymer or oligomer having a backbone including cyclobutane units, and decomposing the polymer or oligomer to provide diene monomer or alkene monomer.

Methods of polymer and/or oligomer depolymerization are described herein which, in some embodiments, enable facile polymer and/or oligomer decomposition under mild, non-energy intensive conditions. Briefly, a method of depolymerization comprises providing a reaction mixture comprising a transition metal catalyst, and a polymer or oligomer having a backbone including cyclobutane units, and decomposing the polymer or oligomer to provide diene monomer or alkene monomer.

A method for making hydrogenated cyclooctatetraene dimers including cyclo-dimerizing butadiene to form 1,5-cyclooctadiene in the presence of at least one first catalyst, dehydrogenating 1,5-cyclooctadiene to 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene, dimerizing 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene to a C.sub.16 multicyclic hydrocarbon cyclooctatetraene dimer, and hydrogenating multicyclic hydrocarbon cyclooctatetraene dimer to form hydrogenated cyclooctatetraene dimers.

A method for making hydrogenated cyclooctatetraene dimers including cyclo-dimerizing butadiene to form 1,5-cyclooctadiene in the presence of at least one first catalyst, dehydrogenating 1,5-cyclooctadiene to 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene, dimerizing 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene to a C.sub.16 multicyclic hydrocarbon cyclooctatetraene dimer, and hydrogenating multicyclic hydrocarbon cyclooctatetraene dimer to form hydrogenated cyclooctatetraene dimers.

A method for converting a diol in solution to an olefin fraction, the method comprising: (i) reacting a diol of the formula HO—R—OH in solution with a carbonyl-containing molecule of the formula:

##STR00001##

in the presence of an acid catalyst to result in a dioxolane molecule of the formula:

##STR00002##

wherein R is a hydrocarbon linker containing 1-12 carbon atoms, and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon groups containing 1-12 carbon atoms, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 optionally interconnect; (ii) removing the dioxolane molecule from the solution by phase separation; and (iii) contacting the dioxolane molecule with a metal-loaded zeolite at a temperature of 100-500° C. to convert the dioxolane molecule to an olefin fraction.

A method for converting a diol in solution to an olefin fraction, the method comprising: (i) reacting a diol of the formula HO—R—OH in solution with a carbonyl-containing molecule of the formula:

##STR00001##

in the presence of an acid catalyst to result in a dioxolane molecule of the formula:

##STR00002##

wherein R is a hydrocarbon linker containing 1-12 carbon atoms, and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon groups containing 1-12 carbon atoms, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 optionally interconnect; (ii) removing the dioxolane molecule from the solution by phase separation; and (iii) contacting the dioxolane molecule with a metal-loaded zeolite at a temperature of 100-500° C. to convert the dioxolane molecule to an olefin fraction.

A method for converting a diol in solution to an olefin fraction, the method comprising: (i) reacting a diol of the formula HO—R—OH in solution with a carbonyl-containing molecule of the formula: ##STR00001##
in the presence of an acid catalyst to result in a dioxolane molecule of the formula: ##STR00002##
wherein R is a hydrocarbon linker containing 1-12 carbon atoms, and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon groups containing 1-12 carbon atoms, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 optionally interconnect; (ii) removing the dioxolane molecule from the solution by phase separation; and (iii) contacting the dioxolane molecule with a metal-loaded zeolite at a temperature of 100-500° C. to convert the dioxolane molecule to an olefin fraction.

A method for converting a diol in solution to an olefin fraction, the method comprising: (i) reacting a diol of the formula HO—R—OH in solution with a carbonyl-containing molecule of the formula: ##STR00001##
in the presence of an acid catalyst to result in a dioxolane molecule of the formula: ##STR00002##
wherein R is a hydrocarbon linker containing 1-12 carbon atoms, and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon groups containing 1-12 carbon atoms, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 optionally interconnect; (ii) removing the dioxolane molecule from the solution by phase separation; and (iii) contacting the dioxolane molecule with a metal-loaded zeolite at a temperature of 100-500° C. to convert the dioxolane molecule to an olefin fraction.

A process for endothermic dehydrogenation including contacting a catalyst material in a moving bed reactor having at least one reaction zone, the moving bed reactor comprising a heat exchanger containing a heating medium, wherein the catalyst material and the heating medium do not contact one another, and wherein at least 50% of the delta enthalpy of the at least one reaction zone is provided by the heat exchanger; and contacting a feedstock comprising hydrocarbons with the catalyst material in the at least one reaction zone of the moving bed reactor under reaction conditions to convert at least a portion of the hydrocarbons to a first effluent comprising a product comprising alkenes, alkynes, cyclic hydrocarbons, and/or aromatics.

A process for endothermic dehydrogenation including contacting a catalyst material in a moving bed reactor having at least one reaction zone, the moving bed reactor comprising a heat exchanger containing a heating medium, wherein the catalyst material and the heating medium do not contact one another, and wherein at least 50% of the delta enthalpy of the at least one reaction zone is provided by the heat exchanger; and contacting a feedstock comprising hydrocarbons with the catalyst material in the at least one reaction zone of the moving bed reactor under reaction conditions to convert at least a portion of the hydrocarbons to a first effluent comprising a product comprising alkenes, alkynes, cyclic hydrocarbons, and/or aromatics.