title: Oxidative depolymerization of lignin in ionic liquids.
abstract: Beech lignin was oxidatively cleaved in ionic liquids to give phenols, unsaturated propylaromatics, and aromatic aldehydes. A multiparallel batch reactor system was used to screen different ionic liquids and metal catalysts. Mn(NO(3))(2) in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate [EMIM][CF(3)SO(3)] proved to be the most effective reaction system. A larger scale batch reaction with this system in a 300 mL autoclave (11 g lignin starting material) resulted in a maximum conversion of 66.3 % (24 h at 100 degrees C, 84x10(5) Pa air). By adjusting the reaction conditions and catalyst loading, the selectivity of the process could be shifted from syringaldehyde as the predominant product to 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (DMBQ). Surprisingly, the latter could be isolated as a pure substance in 11.5 wt % overall yield by a simple extraction/crystallization process.
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Chemische Reaktionstechnik, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stärk
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taccardi
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bösmann
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wasserscheid
mesh_terms: D001547:Benzaldehydes / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D002384:Catalysis; D052578:Ionic Liquids / Q000737:chemistry; D008031:Lignin / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
chemical_list: D001547:Benzaldehydes; D016227:Benzoquinones; D052578:Ionic Liquids; C030511:2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone; C069665:syringaldehyde; D008031:Lignin