Oxidized polyethylene compounds and methods of making the same

1 . A method of making an oxidized polyethylene, comprising mixing a polyethylene, a metal catalyst, and an oxidizing agent;

wherein:

the oxidized polyethylene comprises a first oxidized subunit, a second oxidized subunit, and a non-oxidized subunit;

the polyethylene comprises a non-oxidized subunit;

the first oxidized subunit has the formula:

the second oxidized subunit has the formula:

the non-oxidized subunit has the formula:

the ratio of the first and second oxidized subunits to the non-oxidized subunit in the oxidized polyethylene is from 1:10,000 to 1:5;

the oxidized polyethylene has a number average molecular weight from 600 Da to 20,000,000 Da;

wherein the metal catalyst is a ruthenium catalyst or an iron catalyst; and

wherein a sum of a chloride subunit of formula

 and an ester subunit of formula

 of the oxidized polyethylene is less than 6% of a sum of the first oxidized subunit and the second oxidized subunit of the oxidized polyethylene.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyethylene is a high-density polyethylene, a low-density polyethylene, or a linear low-density polyethylene.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal catalyst is a ruthenium catalyst.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal catalyst is

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing agent is a peroxide or a substituted pyridine N-oxide.