Upgrading waste plastics to value-added aromatics

The bigger pictureChallenges and opportunities:•In a world grappling with the environmental challenges posed by plastic waste, the quest for innovative solutions has never been more urgent.•One promising avenue that holds significant potential is the conversion of waste plastics into value-added aromatics—a transformative process that not only addresses the issue of plastic pollution but also contributes to the creation of a more sustainable and circular economy.•Although several innovative technologies are paving the way for the conversion of waste plastics into aromatics, the complexity of reaction mechanisms and the diverse array of reaction systems in this field hinder the establishment of unified principles. We provide a comprehensive review of the current state of preparing aromatic chemicals from plastic wastes.SummaryThe imbalance between the extensive production and recycling of plastics has resulted in severe environmental and resource issues. A promising solution to mitigate this issue involves using chemical recycling methods to convert plastic products into high-value aromatic chemicals. However, the complexity of reaction mechanisms and the diverse array of reaction systems in this field hinder the establishment of unified principles. Addressing this challenge, we provide a comprehensive review of the current state of preparing aromatic chemicals from plastic wastes. This review discusses the reaction pathways for polyolefin and polyester plastics in the production of aromatics and summarizes the catalysts' design and reaction mechanisms. Finally, we offer insights into the future of this field, with particular focus on the catalyst design for C–H activation, anticoking, selectivity of aromatics, and cascade reaction. These novel plastic recycling strategies present new perspectives for the green and sustainable development of society and the environment.Graphical abstract