title: Depolymerization of lignin by microwave-assisted methylation of benzylic alcohols.
abstract: A new two-step lignin depolymerization strategy was developed, in which the benzylic alcohols in lignin was methylated under microwave irradiation, followed by a hydrogenolysis for the cleavage of βO4 bond with Pd/C as the catalyst. The results showed that an efficient and selective catalytic methylation of benzylic alcohols was achieved with various lignin model compounds, and the acidic environment promoted the methylation of benzylic alcohol. Methylation of benzylic alcohol increased the βO4 bond cleavage rate by 55.9%, and improved products selectivity. Preliminary study of lignin depolymerization illustrated that methylation pretreatment of benzylic alcohols facilitated lignin depolymerization to produce aromatic monomers and reduced the oxygen content of aromatic monomers.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Guodian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China; State Key Laboratory of Pulp & Paper Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Xueqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Yuxia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China. Electronic address: ceouyang@scut.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xinping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ouyang
mesh_terms: D001592:Benzyl Alcohols / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis / Q000528:radiation effects; D008031:Lignin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008745:Methylation / Q000528:radiation effects; D008872:Microwaves; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D058105:Polymerization / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D014908:Triticum / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001592:Benzyl Alcohols; D008031:Lignin; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Benzylic alcohol; Depolymerization; Lignin; Methylation; βO4 bond