title: Lignol cleavage by Pd/C under mild conditions and without hydrogen: a role for benzylic C-H activation?
abstract: The cleavage of C-O bonds in lignin model compounds without hydrogen was developed using the commercially available Pd/C. Hydrogen donor solvents are helpful for this reaction through transfer hydrogenation, but not necessary. A redox neutral process that utilizes the internal hydrogen source for the cleavage is also possible. An initial mechanistic study indicates that the β-benzylic-H atom in the substrate plays a critical role and that the present system undergoes a process different from previous reports.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801 (USA), Fax: (+1) 217-244-3186.
authors.forename: Xiaoyuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Joyee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mitra
authors.forename: Thomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Rauchfuss
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D008031:Lignin / Q000737:chemistry*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D010165:Palladium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010165:Palladium; D002244:Carbon; D006859:Hydrogen; D008031:Lignin; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: biomass; heterogeneous catalysis; lignin; palladium; reaction mechanisms