Review on catalytic cleavage of C-C inter-unit linkages in lignin model compounds: Towards lignin depolymerisation

Guadix Montero, Susana and Meenakshisundaram, Sankar ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7105-0203 2018. Review on catalytic cleavage of C-C inter-unit linkages in lignin model compounds: Towards lignin depolymerisation. Topics in Catalysis 61 (3-4) , pp. 183-198. 10.1007/s11244-018-0909-2

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Abstract

Lignin depolymerisation has received considerable attention recently due to the pressing need to find sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel feedstock to produce chemicals and fuels. Two types of interunit linkages (C–C and C–O linkages) link several aromatic units in the structure of lignin. Between these two inter-unit linkages, the bond energies of C–C linkages are higher than that of C–O linkages, making them harder to break. However, for an efficient lignin depolymerisation, both types of inter-unit linkages have to be broken. This is more relevant because of the fact that many delignification processes tend to result in the formation of additional C–C inter-unit bonds. Here we review the strategies reported for the cleavage of C–C inter-unit linkages in lignin model compounds and lignin. Although a number of articles are available on the cleavage of C–O inter-unit linkages, reports on the selective cleavage of C–C inter-unit linkages are relatively less. Oxidative cleavage, hydrogenolysis, two-step redox-neutral process, microwave assisted cleavage, biocatalytic and photocatalytic methods have been reported for the breaking of C–C inter-unit linkages in lignin. Here we review all these methods in detail, focused only on the breaking of C–C linkages. The objective of this review is to motivate researchers to design new strategies to break this strong C–C inter-unit bonds to valorise lignins, technical lignins in particular.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Cardiff Catalysis Institute (CCI) Chemistry
Publisher:	Springer
ISSN:	1022-5528
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	27 March 2018
Date of Acceptance:	15 March 2018
Last Modified:	07 May 2023 15:02
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/110243

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