The degradation of various thermosetting epoxy resins prepared from bisphenol A diglycidyl ether as a typical epoxy agent and various curing agents, such as diamino arenes, dithiols, and acid anhydrides proceeded smoothly with sodium tert-butoxide in 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone (DMI) solvent at 150 °C to form bisphenol A in high yields. Amide solvents effectively promoted depolymerization and allowed insoluble cross-linked thermosetting epoxy resins to undergo the reaction.
- Yasunori Minami
- Tomoo Tsuyuki
- Masaru Yoshida