Patent ID: 8809491

Claim:
A method for depolymerization of a mixture comprising oligomeric cyclic ether which comprises the steps of (1) isolating a mixture comprising oligomeric cyclic ether resulting from copolymerization of tetrahydrofuran and at least one other cyclic ether, (2) contacting the mixture of step (1) at depolymerization reaction conditions including a temperature of from about 125° C. to about 200° C. with catalyst selected from the group consisting of homogeneous and heterogeneous acid catalysts and combinations thereof, in the presence of an effective amount of a depolymerization reaction enhancing additive selected from the group consisting of C 2 -C 8 alcohols, C 2 -C 10 diols, polytetramethylene glycol, C 2 -C 12 carboxylic acids, and combinations thereof, to yield a depolymerization reaction product stream comprising tetrahydrofuran, and (3) recovering the depolymerization reaction product stream of step (2).