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High Yield Production of Natural Phenolic Alcohols from Woody Biomass Using a Nickel‐Based Catalyst
Author(s) -
Chen Jiazhi,
Lu Fang,
Si Xiaoqin,
Nie Xin,
Chen Junsheng,
Lu Rui,
Xu Jie
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201601273
Subject(s) - depolymerization , lignin , catalysis , chemistry , methanol , organic chemistry , solvent , biomass (ecology) , yield (engineering) , bond cleavage , materials science , oceanography , metallurgy , geology
Efficient depolymerization of woody biomass to produce natural phenolic alcohols not only preserves the original structure of lignin, but also makes the depolymerization process atom‐efficient. Here, high yield production of natural phenolic alcohols (38.7 wt %) from woody biomass has been achieved using a Ni/C catalyst in a methanol–water co‐solvent. The Ni‐based catalyst can efficiently etherify the C α −OH group in lignin β‐O‐4 motifs under hydrogen atmosphere, which can break the hydrogen bond between the C β −O oxygen and the C α −OH proton to facilitate the C β −O cleavage. It was reported that water can also accelerate the etherification of raw lignin with methanol through in situ formation of acid. Our results suggest that breaking the intramolecular hydrogen bonds can accelerate the C β −O cleavage, keeping the original structure of lignin unchanged. This work highlights the significance of structure modification in lignin depolymerization and displays a clear potential for the valorization of whole biomass.