Role of methoxy and C_(α)-based substituents in electrochemical oxidation mechanisms and bond cleavage selectivity of β-O-4 lignin model compounds

In order to better understand the specific substituent effects on the electrochemical oxidation process of β-O-4 bond, a series of methoxyphenyl type β-O-4 dimer model compounds with different localized methoxyl groups, including 2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-phenylethanone, 2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-phenylethanol, 2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanone, 2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanol, 2-(2,6-dimethoxyphenoxy)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanone, 2-(2,6-dimethoxyphenoxy)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanol have been selected and their electrochemical properties have been studied experimentally by cyclic voltammetry, and FT-IR spectroelectrochemistry. Combining with electrolysis products distribution analysis and density functional theory calculations, oxidation mechanisms of all six model dimers have been explored. In particular, a total effect from substituents of both para-methoxy(on the aryl ring closing to Cα) and Cα-OH on the oxidation mechanisms has been clearly observed, showing a significant selectivity on the Cα-Cβbond cleavage induced by electrochemical oxidations.

Immobilized laccase on magnetic nanoparticles for enhanced lignin model compounds degradation

As a natural aromatic polymer,lignin has great potential but limited industrial application due to its complex chemical structure.Among strategies for lignin conversion,biodegradation has attracted promising interest recently in term of efficiency,selectivity and mild condition.In order to overcome the issues of poor stability and non-reusability of enzyme in the biodegradation of lignin,this work explored a protocol of immobilized laccase on magnetic nanoparticles(MNPs)with rough surfaces for enhanced lignin model compounds degradation.Scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectrometer(SEM-EDS),flourier transformation infrared spectroscopy(FTIR)and thermal gravimetric analysis(TGA)were utilized to characterize the immobilization of laccase.The results showed a maximum activity recovery of 64.7%towards laccase when it was incubated with MNPs and glutaraldehyde(GA)with concentrations of 6 mg·ml^-1and 7.5 mg·ml^-1for 5 h,respectively.The immobilized laccase showed improved thermal stability and pH tolerance compared with free laccase,and remained more than 80%of its initial activity after 20 days of storage at 4℃.In addition,about 40%residual activity of the laccase remained after 8 times cycles.Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry(GC–MS)was utilized to characterize the products of lignin model compound degradation and activation,and the efficiency of immobilized laccase was calculated to be 1–5 times that of free laccase.It was proposed that the synergistic effect between MNPs and laccase displays an important role in the enhancement of stability and activity in lignin model compound biodegradation.

Lignin derived absorbent for efficient and sustainable CO_(2) capture

High and cost-efficient capture of CO_(2) is a prerequisite and an inevitable path of carbon emission reduction. To address the challenges(high cost, low efficiency, less sustainability, etc.) of existing petroleum-based CO_(2) absorbents, herein, a class of efficient and sustainable lignin-based absorbents were resoundingly prepared by grafting the active amine group on a lignin derived compound vanillin and alkali lignin. The results demonstrated that vanillin modified by acrylamide achieved the excellent absorption capacity among the three absorbents, whose ability was 0.114 g CO_(2) per gram of absorbent under 25 ℃ and 100 kPa. In addition, the absorbent retained stable absorbability of CO_(2) after 6 cycles.The absorbing capacity of the absorbent formed by the coupling of vanillin and acrylamide to CO_(2) was much greater than their own(i.e. 0 g CO_(2) ·g^(-1)vanillin, 0.01 g CO_(2) ·g^(-1) acrylamide, respectively).Detailed information revealed the multi-site synergistic absorption mechanism, in which CO_(2) has C and O double interactions with the amide group of the absorbent, and single interaction with the hydroxyl oxygen on the benzene ring of the absorbent. The absorption capacity of modified lignin for CO_(2) is as high as 0.12 g CO_(2) per gram of absorbent, which is comparable with that of model compound vanillin.This work not only provides a new idea for the design of bio-absorbents for CO_(2) capture, but explores the application potential of lignin-based materials.

One-step fabrication of mesoporous sulfur-doped carbon nitride for highly selective photocatalytic transformation of native lignin to monophenolic compounds

Photocatalytic selective transform native lignin into valuable chemicals is an attractive but challenging task.Herein,we report a mesoporous sulfur-doped carbon nitride(MSCN-0.5)which is prepared by a facile one-step thermal condensation strategy.It is highly active and selective for the cleavage Cα-Cβbond inβ-O-4 lignin model compound under visible light radiation at room temperature,achieving 99%substrate conversion and 98%Cα-Cβbond cleavage selectivity.Mechanistic studies revealed that the Cβ-H bond of lignin model compounds activated by holes and generate key Cβradical intermediates,further induced the Cα-Cβbond cleavage by superoxide anion radicals(·O2-)to produce aromatic oxygenates.Waste Camellia oleifera shell(WCOS)was taken as a representative to further understand the reaction mechanisms on native lignin.33.2 mg of monophenolic compounds(Vanillin accounted for 22%and Syringaldehyde for 34%)can be obtained by each gram of WCOS lignin,which is 2.5 times as that of the pristine carbon nitride.The present work offers useful guidance for designing metal-free heterogeneous photocatalysts for Cα-Cβbond cleavage to harvest monophenolic compounds.