From models to lignin: Transition metal catalysis for selective bond cleavage reactions

Depolymerization Pathways for Branching Lignin Spirodienone Units Revealed with ab Initio Steered Molecular Dynamics

Lignocellulosic biomass is an abundant, rich source of aromatic compounds, but direct utilization of raw lignin has been hampered by both the high heterogeneity and variability of linking bonds in this biopolymer. Ab initio steered molecular dynamics (AISMD) has emerged both as a fruitful direct computational screening approach to identify products that occur through mechanical depolymerization (i.e., in sonication or ball-milling) and as a sampling approach. By varying the direction of force and sampling over 750 AISMD trajectories, we identify numerous possible pathways through which lignin depolymerization may occur in pyrolysis or through catalytic depolymerization as well. Here, we present eight unique major depolymerization pathways discovered via AISMD for the recently characterized spirodienone lignin branching linkage that may comprise around 10% weight of all lignin in some softwoods. We extract representative trajectories from AISMD and carry out reaction pathway analysis to identify energetically favorable pathways for lignin depolymerization. Importantly, we identify dynamical effects that could not be observed through more traditional calculations of bond dissociation energies. Such effects include thermodynamically favorable recovery of aromaticity in the dienone ring that leads to near-barrierless subsequent ether cleavage and hydrogen-bonding effects that stabilize newly formed radicals. Some of the most stable spirodienone fragments that reside at most 1 eV above the reactant structure are formed with only 2 eV barriers for C-C bond cleavage, suggesting key targets for catalyst design to drive targeted depolymerization of lignin.

CuZrO3nanoparticles catalyst in aerobic oxidation of vanillyl alcohol

A highly crystalline, mesoporous and perovskite type CuZrO₃nanoparticles catalyst was preparedviaa simple and facile one pot solvent evaporation method.

Hydrogen-free catalytic fractionation of woody biomass

The pulping industry could become a biorefinery if the lignin and hemicellulose components of the lignocellulose are valorized. Conversion of lignin into well-defined aromatic chemicals is still a major challenge. Lignin depolymerization reactions often occur in parallel with irreversible condensation reactions of the formed fragments. Here, we describe a strategy that markedly suppresses the undesired condensation pathways and allows to selectively transform lignin into a few aromatic compounds. Notably, applying this strategy to woody biomass at organosolv pulping conditions, the hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin were separated and in parallel the lignin was transformed into aromatic monomers. In addition, we were able to utilize a part of the lignocellulose as an internal source of hydrogen for the reductive lignin transformations. We hope that the presented methodology will inspire researchers in the field of lignin valorization as well as pulp producers to develop more efficient biomass fractionation processes in the future.

Catalytic Upstream Biorefining through Hydrogen Transfer Reactions: Understanding the Process from the Pulp Perspective

Catalytic upstream biorefining (CUB) encompasses processes for plant biomass deconstruction through the early-stage conversion of lignin by the action of a hydrogenation catalyst. CUB processes produce lignin as an extensively depolymerised product (i.e., a viscous lignin oil) and render highly delignified pulps. In this report, we examine CUB from the pulp perspective. Notably, Raney Ni plays an indirect role in the processes that occur within the lignocellulose matrix. As there are negligible points of contact between the poplar wood chips and Raney Ni, the catalyst action is limited to the species leached from the matrix into the liquor. Nevertheless, the substantial changes in the liquor composition (through the decomposition of carboxylic acids and H-transfer reductive processes on the lignin fragments) have significant implications for the pulp composition, degree of polymerisation and morphology. Compared with organosolv pulps, CUB pulps show higher xylan retention, higher delignification, and higher polymerisation degree. Moreover, the correlation between these properties and the performance of the enzymatic hydrolyses of CUB and organosolv pulps reveals that the high susceptibility of CUB pulps is mostly caused by their lower residual lignin contents.

Selective Cleavage of the Aryl Ether Bonds in Lignin for Depolymerization by Acidic Lithium Bromide Molten Salt Hydrate under Mild Conditions

The present study demonstrates that the concentrated lithium bromide (LiBr) solution with acid as catalyst was able to selectively cleave the β-O-4 aryl ether bond and lead to lignin depolymerization under mild conditions (e.g., in 60% LiBr with 0.3 M HCl at 110 °C for 2 h). Four industrial lignins from different pulping and biorefining processes, including softwood kraft lignin (SKL), hardwood kraft lignin (HKL), softwood ethanol organosolv lignin (EOL), and acid corncob lignin (ACL), were treated in the LiBr solution. The molecular weight, functional group, and interunit linkages of the lignins were characterized using GPC, FTIR, and NMR. The results indicated that the β-O-4 aryl ether bonds of the lignins were selectively cleaved, and both LiBr and HCl played crucial roles in catalyzing the cleavage of the ether bonds.

Single-walled carbon nanotube release affects the microbial enzyme-catalyzed oxidation processes of organic pollutants and lignin model compounds in nature

The question how microbial enzyme-catalyzed oxidation processes of organic pollutants and lignin model compounds (LMCs) are affected by the release of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) into the environment remains to be addressed at the molecular level. We have, therefore concentrated the effects of SWCNT on some important properties associated with enzyme activity and function during microbial oxidation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (benzo(a)pyrene, acenaphthene and anthracene), LMCs (2,6-dimethoxyphenol, guaiacol and veratryl alcohol) and β-hexachlorocyclohexane, including the behaviour of water molecules, hydrogen bonds (HBs) and hydrophobic interactions (HYs) between ligand and the enzyme, and conformational dynamics in N- and C-terminus. Our study revealed that SWCNT significantly affected the behaviour of water molecules within 5 Å of both these substrates and their respective enzymes during oxidation (p < 0.01), by increasing or decreasing the water number near them. SWCNT tended to significantly enhance or reduce the stability of atom pairs that formed the HBs and HYs (p < 0.01). N- and C-terminus conformations underwent transitions between positive and negative states or between positive state or between negative state in all analyzed complexes. Significant conformational transitions were found for all C-terminus, but only for a part of N-terminus after the inclusion of the SWCNT. These results showed that SWCNT release would significantly affect the microbial enzyme-catalyzed processes of organic pollutants and LMCs in nature.

Synthesis and characterisation of lignin-like oligomers as a bio-inspired consolidant for waterlogged archaeological wood

The development of new materials for the consolidation of waterlogged archaeological wood from sustainable sources is an important area of research, as the most widely used consolidant today is petroleum based. Ideally a new consolidant will interact with the existing wood structure, ensuring maximum compatibility. Lignin is often the major component remaining in archaeological wood, as it is less susceptible to degradation than holocellulose. Therefore, in order to maximise the potential for interaction with the wood cells, lignin-like oligomers have been synthesized from isoeugenol using a water soluble copper salen catalyst at pH 10, giving a weight average Mw of 1.6 kDa. Analysis by NMR spectroscopy has shown that the oligomers have a lignin-like structure with β-O-4′, β-β′ and β-5′ connections. A 10 w/w% solution of the oligomers in ethyl acetate was found to thoroughly penetrate 1 cm3 samples of waterlogged archaeological wood (density of 0.146 g/mL, maximum water content of 620%) after 14 days impregnation, as determined by FTIR spectroscopy. No impregnation material could be seen by SEM, suggesting that it coats the cell walls upon drying. This indicates that dehydrogenated polymers penetrate waterlogged archaeological wood well and have the potential to be developed into consolidants.

Metal Triflates for the Production of Aromatics from Lignin

The depolymerization of lignin into valuable aromatic chemicals is one of the key goals towards establishing economically viable biorefineries. In this contribution we present a simple approach for converting lignin to aromatic monomers in high yields under mild reaction conditions. The methodology relies on the use of catalytic amounts of easy-to-handle metal triflates (M(OTf)_x ). Initially, we evaluated the reactivity of a broad range of metal triflates using simple lignin model compounds. More advanced lignin model compounds were also used to study the reactivity of different lignin linkages. The product aromatic monomers were either phenolic C2-acetals obtained by stabilization of the aldehyde cleavage products by reaction with ethylene glycol or methyl aromatics obtained by catalytic decarbonylation. Notably, when the method was ultimately tested on lignin, especially Fe(OTf)₃ proved very effective and the phenolic C2-acetal products were obtained in an excellent, 19.3±3.2 wt % yield.

Transition-metal catalyzed valorization of lignin: the key to a sustainable carbon-neutral future

The development of a sustainable, carbon-neutral biorefinery has emerged as a prominent scientific and engineering goal of the 21st century. As petroleum has become less accessible, biomass-based carbon sources have been investigated for utility in fuel production and commodity chemical manufacturing. One underutilized biomaterial is lignin; however, its highly crosslinked and randomly polymerized composition have rendered this biopolymer recalcitrant to existing chemical processing. More recently, insight into lignin's molecular structure has reinvigorated chemists to develop catalytic methods for lignin depolymerization. This review examines the development of transition-metal catalyzed reactions and the insights shared between the homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic systems towards the ultimate goal of valorizing lignin to produce value-added products.

Tandem Catalytic Depolymerization of Lignin by Water-Tolerant Lewis Acids and Rhodium Complexes

Lignin is an attractive renewable feedstock for aromatic bulk and fine chemicals production, provided that suitable depolymerization procedures are developed. Here, we describe a tandem catalysis strategy for ether linkage cleavage within lignin, involving ether hydrolysis by water-tolerant Lewis acids followed by aldehyde decarbonylation by a Rh complex. In situ decarbonylation of the reactive aldehydes limits loss of monomers by recondensation, a major issue in acid-catalyzed lignin depolymerization. Rate of hydrolysis and decarbonylation were matched using lignin model compounds, allowing the method to be successfully applied to softwood, hardwood, and herbaceous dioxasolv lignins, as well as poplar sawdust, to give the anticipated decarbonylation products and, rather surprisingly, 4-(1-propenyl)phenols. Promisingly, product selectivity can be tuned by variation of the Lewis-acid strength and lignin source.

Paving the Way for Lignin Valorisation: Recent Advances in Bioengineering, Biorefining and Catalysis

Lignin is an abundant biopolymer with a high carbon content and high aromaticity. Despite its potential as a raw material for the fuel and chemical industries, lignin remains the most poorly utilised of the lignocellulosic biopolymers. Effective valorisation of lignin requires careful fine-tuning of multiple "upstream" (i.e., lignin bioengineering, lignin isolation and "early-stage catalytic conversion of lignin") and "downstream" (i.e., lignin depolymerisation and upgrading) process stages, demanding input and understanding from a broad array of scientific disciplines. This review provides a "beginning-to-end" analysis of the recent advances reported in lignin valorisation. Particular emphasis is placed on the improved understanding of lignin's biosynthesis and structure, differences in structure and chemical bonding between native and technical lignins, emerging catalytic valorisation strategies, and the relationships between lignin structure and catalyst performance.

Lignin Valorization through Catalytic Lignocellulose Fractionation: A Fundamental Platform for the Future Biorefinery

Current processes for the fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass focus on the production of high-quality cellulosic fibers for paper, board, and viscose production. The other fractions that constitute a major part of lignocellulose are treated as waste or used for energy production. The transformation of lignocellulose beyond paper pulp to a commodity (e.g., fine chemicals, polymer precursors, and fuels) is the only feasible alternative to current refining of fossil fuels as a carbon feedstock. Inspired by this challenge, scientists and engineers have developed a plethora of methods for the valorization of biomass. However, most studies have focused on using one single purified component from lignocellulose that is not currently generated by the existing biomass fractionation processes. A lot of effort has been made to develop efficient methods for lignin depolymerization. The step to take this fundamental research to industrial applications is still a major challenge. This review covers an alternative approach, in which the lignin valorization is performed in concert with the pulping process. This enables the fractionation of all components of the lignocellulosic biomass into valorizable streams. Lignocellulose fractions obtained this way (e.g., lignin oil and glucose) can be utilized in a number of existing procedures. The review covers historic, current, and future perspectives, with respect to catalytic lignocellulose fractionation processes.

Green Diesel from Kraft Lignin in Three Steps

Precipitated kraft lignin from black liquor was converted into green diesel in three steps. A mild Ni-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis using 2-propanol generated a lignin residue in which the ethers, carbonyls, and olefins were reduced. An organocatalyzed esterification of the lignin residue with an in situ prepared tall oil fatty acid anhydride gave an esterified lignin residue that was soluble in light gas oil. The esterified lignin residue was coprocessed with light gas oil in a continous hydrotreater to produce a green diesel. This approach will enable the development of new techniques to process commercial lignin in existing oil refinery infrastructures to standardized transportation fuels in the future.

Selective arene production from transfer hydrogenolysis of benzyl phenyl ether promoted by a co-precipitated Pd/Fe3O4 catalyst

The catalytic transfer hydrogenolysis (CTH) of benzyl phenyl ether has been investigated using Pd/Fe₃O₄ as a heterogeneous catalyst and 2-propanol as a H-donor. After 90 minutes at 240 °C, the cleavage of the ester C–O bond occurs as the only reaction route, whereas hydrogenation of the aromatic ring was not observed.

New insights into the catalytic cleavage of the lignin β-O-4 linkage in multifunctional ionic liquid media

Solving the lignin β-O-4 cleavage using acidic multifunctional ionic liquid media.

Aromatic monomers by in situ conversion of reactive intermediates in the acid-catalyzed depolymerization of lignin

Conversion of lignin into well-defined aromatic chemicals is a highly attractive goal but is often hampered by recondensation of the formed fragments, especially in acidolysis. Here, we describe new strategies that markedly suppress such undesired pathways to result in diverse aromatic compounds previously not systematically targeted from lignin. Model studies established that a catalytic amount of triflic acid is very effective in cleaving the β-O-4 linkage, most abundant in lignin. An aldehyde product was identified as the main cause of side reactions under cleavage conditions. Capturing this unstable compound by reaction with diols and by in situ catalytic hydrogenation or decarbonylation lead to three distinct groups of aromatic compounds in high yields acetals, ethanol and ethyl aromatics, and methyl aromatics. Notably, the same product groups were obtained when these approaches were successfully extended to lignin. In addition, the formation of higher molecular weight side products was markedly suppressed, indicating that the aldehyde intermediates play a significant role in these processes. The described strategy has the potential to be generally applicable for the production of interesting aromatic compounds from lignin.