Mechanism of the catalytic ozonization of lignin in the presence of Mn(II) ions

The reaction between ozone and lignin in aqueous solutions catalyzed by Mn(II) ions is studied. The rate of destruction for aromatic structures of lignin is found to increase in the presence of Mn(II) ions. However, the greatest catalytic effect is observed upon the transformation of aliphatic acids that are difficult to oxidize with ozone. The introduction of catalyst raises the total consumption of ozone from 3 to 7 mol per each structural unit of lignin. A scheme is proposed for the transformation of phenol fragments of lignin using ozone with the participation of Mn(II) ions: at the initial stage, we observe the ozone oxidation of lignin and Mn(II) to Mn(III) ions stabilized with products of lignin oxidation and accompanied by the formation of chelate complexes, and the Mn(III) chelate complexes act as low-molecular mediators, attacking phenol structures and initiating radical processes.     

The oxidative destruction of lignin in the ozonation of wood

The oxidative destruction of lignin in the ozonation of aspen wood was studied. The kinetic curves of ozone consumption for samples with different contents of water were obtained. The consumption of ozone increased as the content of water grew. The second derivatives of the UV absorption spectra of lignin were obtained to show that the principal direction of lignin transformations under the action of ozone was the destruction of its aromatic constituents with the formation of carboxyl- and carbonyl-containing compounds. Measurements of the UV diffuse reflectance and EPR spectra of wood showed that the ozonation of wood caused the destruction of lignin quinoid structures. Part of lignin remained unchanged under the action of ozone. A key role in the destruction of wood lignin was played by ozone dissolved in water. Varying the content of water in wood samples allows various lignin transformation products to be obtained through ozonation.     

Ozone pretreatment and fermentative hydrolysis of wheat straw

Principles of the ozone pretreatment of wheat straw for subsequent fermentation into sugars are investigated. The optimum moisture contents of straw in the ozonation process are obtained from data on the kinetics of ozone absorbed by samples with different contents of water. The dependence of the yield of reducing sugars in the fermentative reaction on the quantity of absorbed ozone is established. The maximum conversion of polysaccharides is obtained at ozone doses of around 3 mmol/g of biomass, and it exceeds the value for nonozonated samples by an order of magnitude. The yield of sugar falls upon increasing the dose of ozone. The process of removing lignin from the cell walls of straw during ozonation is visualized by means of scanning electron microscopy.     

Degradation of lignin by ozone. I. The kinetics of lignin degradation of ozone

The ozonolysis of spruce periodate and cuoxam lignins and protolignin in spruce wood has been studied in 45% aqueous acetic acid at room temperature. Stirring affected the rate of reaction and a tentative explanation is given. Degradation followed first-order kinetics characterized by a rate constant K with values of 6.96 × 10^?4s^?1 for periodate lignin, 5.10 × 10^?4s^?1 for cuoxam lignin, and 5.09 × 10^?4s^?1 for protolignin in spruce wood. The similarity of the rate constants shows (1) that periodate and cuoxam lignins are good models for wood lignin and (2) that the carbohydrate matrix has an insignificant effect on the rate of delignification of the protolignin by ozone. The average rate of ozone consumption per C₉ unit for periodate lignin was determined as 0.12 mol/min and 0.08 mol/min for cuoxam lignin. The implications of the various results are discussed.     

Comparative studies in the ozonolysis of lignin and coal

The ozonizer used is illustrated and described. The experimental procedure for the ozonolysis of a spruce lignin sample and three bituminous coal samples in the temperature range 25–40°C is provided. The rate of reaction was found to vary between first and pseudo-zero order depending on the ozone concentration. (Supporting evidence was gained by paper chromatographic and potentiometric titrimetric studies of the reaction products.) A discussion on the structure of coal is given.     

Kinetics of gas-liquid ozonization of veratrole and its derivatives

The kinetics was studied for the reactions of ozone with model lignin compounds, viz., phenol, veratrole, veratric aldehyde, and veratric alcohol. Using the mass transfer model for a chemical reaction based on the film theory, the reaction rate constants were calculated. The reaction rate constants determined by both the ozone absorption rate and changes in the substrate concentration coincide satisfactorily, indicating adequacy of the kinetic model chosen. A relationship between the structure of the compounds under study and their reactivity was found. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1941–1946, October, 2007.     

The Cellulase-Mediated Saccharification on Wood Derived from Transgenic Low-Lignin Lines of Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa)

Downregulated lignin transgenic black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) was used to elucidate the effect of lignin and xylan content on enzymatic saccharification. The lignin contents of three transgenic samples (4CL1-1, 4CL1-4, and CH8-1-4) were 19.3, 16.7, and 15.0?%, respectively, as compared with the wild type (21.3?%). The four pretreatments were dilute acid (0.1?% sulfuric acid, 185?°C, 30?min), green liquor (6?% total titratable alkali, 25?% sulfidity based on TTA, 185?°C, and 15?min.), autohydrolysis (185?°C, 30?min), and ozone delignification (25?°C, 30?min). Following the pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification was carried out using an enzyme charge of 5?FPU/g of substrates. The removal of lignin and hemicellulose varies with both the types of pretreatments and the lignin content of the transgenic trees. Due to the greatest removal of lignin, green liquor induced the highest sugar production and saccharification efficiency, followed by acid, ozone, and autohydrolysis in descending order. The results indicated that lignin is the main recalcitrance of biomass degradation. At a given lignin content, pretreatment with ozone delignification had lower saccharification efficiency than the other pretreatment methods due to higher xylan content.     

The ozonization of model lignin compounds in aqueous solutions catalyzed by Mn(II) ions

The influence of Mn(II) ions on the rate of the reaction between ozone and model lignin compounds, guaiacol and veratrole, was studied. The catalyst did not influence the rate of the destruction of the aromatic ring and intermediate ozonolysis products, compounds with conjugated double bonds, in acid media but substantially increased the rate of oxidation of saturated carboxylic acids, ketoacids, and aldehydes. Ozone consumption then increased from 2 to 5 moles per mole of the transformed substrate. A mechanism of the catalytic action of Mn(II) in reactions between ozone and the compounds studied was suggested.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the reactions of ozone with guaiacol,veratrol, and veratrol derivatives

The kinetics of the reactions of ozone with compounds modeling structural lignin fragments, viz., phenol, guaiacol, veratrol, veratric aldehyde, and veratric alcohol, was studied. The reaction rate constants were calculated using the mass transfer model for the chemical reaction based on the film theory. The rate constants of the reactions of ozone with compounds of the veratryl series were calculated by the Hammett equation. The major ozonation products of the studied compounds were determined by HPLC. The ozonation mechanism was proposed. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 276–281, February, 2008.     

The catalytic ozonization of model lignin compounds in the presence of Fe(III) ions

The ozonization of several model lignin compounds (guaiacol, 2,6-dimethoxyphenol, phenol, and vanillin) was studied in acid media in the presence of iron(III) ions. It was found that Fe³⁺ did not influence the initial rate of the reactions between model phenols and ozone but accelerated the oxidation of intermediate ozonolysis products. The metal concentration dependences of the total ozone consumption and effective rate constants of catalytic reaction stages were determined. Data on reactions in the presence of oxalic acid as a competing chelate ligand showed that complex formation with Fe³⁺ was the principal factor that accelerated the ozonolysis of model phenols at the stage of the oxidation of carboxylic dibasic acids and C₂ aldehydes formed as intermediate products.     

Effect of ozonation on the reactivity of lignocellulose substrates in enzymatic hydrolyses to sugars

The efficiency of pre-treatment of aspen wood with ozone for subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis into sugars is determined by the amount of absorbed ozone. The ozone absorption rate depended on the water content in the sample being ozonized and was maximum at a relative humidity of wood of ～40%. As a result of ozone pre-treatment, the initial rate of the enzymatic hydrolysis of wood under the action of a cellulase complex increased eightfold, and the maximum yield of sugars increased tenfold depending on the ozone dose. The ozonation at ozone doses of more than 3 mol/PPU (phenylpropane structural unit of lignin) led to a decrease in the yield of sugars because of the oxidative destruction of cellulose and hemicellulose. The alkaline ozonation in 2 and 12% NaOH was inefficient because of the accompanying oxidation of carbohydrates and considerably decreased the yield of sugars.     

Vanadium Chloroperoxidases: The Missing Link in the Formation of Chlorinated Compounds and Chloroform in the Terrestrial Environment?

It is well established that the majority of chlorinated organic substances found in the terrestrial environment are produced naturally. The presence of these compounds in soils is not limited to a single ecosystem. Natural chlorination is also a widespread phenomenon in grasslands and agricultural soils typical for unforested areas. These chlorinated compounds are formed from chlorination of natural organic matter consisting of very complex chemical structures, such as lignin. Chlorination of several lignin model compounds results in the intermediate formation of trichloroacetyl‐containing compounds, which are also found in soils. These decay, in general, through a haloform‐type reaction mechanism to CHCl₃. Upon release into the atmosphere, CHCl₃ will produce chlorine radicals through photolysis, which will, in turn, lead to natural depletion of ozone. There is evidence that fungal chloroperoxidases able to produce HOCl are involved in the chlorination of natural organic matter. The objective of this review is to clarify the role and source of the various chloroperoxidases involved in the natural formation of CHCl₃.     

Degradation of lignin by ozone. III. The fate of the carbohydrate matrix during the degradation of spruce protolignin by ozone

Solvent-extracted spruce wood meal was ozonized in 45% aqueous acetic acid at room temperature. The ozone-treated wood meal was then extracted with dilute alkali at 65°C for 1 h. Lignin, α-cellulose, and hemicellulose content and the viscosities of the pulped wood-meal samples were measured as a function of the time of ozonization. Results indicate that although the attack on the wood components by ozone is not selective in this medium cellulose and hemicelluloses are degraded slowly compared with lignin. Lignin degraded approximately four times faster than the carbohydrates. At the fiber liberation point the pulp retained 78% of the original hemicelluloses and about 90% of the α-cellulose compared with 25% of the lignin. The pulp samples obtained during ozonization of the wood meal showed a slow decrease in the average degree of polymerization (DP); the limit reached near 350 was attributed to the inaccessibility of the ordered regions in native cellulose to ozone.     

Influence of ozonized kraft lignin on the crystallization of CaCO3

Results are reviewed from a study examining how structural modifications introduced by ozonization enhance the influence of kraft lignin on the crystallization of CaCO(3). Ozone treatment of kraft lignin in an aqueous environment is shown to increase its carboxylic acid and overall oxygen content and reduce its molecular weight. Calcium concentration and temperature were monitored in heated supersaturated solutions containing ozonized kraft lignins to gauge their influence on CaCO(3) crystallization processes. The presence of kraft lignin raises the temperature necessary to induce crystallization. This effect is shown to level off at relatively low lignin concentrations and be dependent on the extent of ozone treatment the kraft lignin has undergone. A linear correlation is found between crystallization temperatures and the carboxylic acid content of ozonized lignin samples indicating the introduction of these functional groups plays an important role in enhancing its inhibitory effect. Scanning electron microscopy images of crystals grown in the presence of kraft lignins show significant morphological modifications. These are consistent with specific or pseudo specific interactions between the lignin and crystal faces of calcite to inhibit growth parallel to its c axis. The influence over crystal morphology demonstrated by modified kraft lignin increases with increasing ozonization. Also presented here are crystallization temperature data for a range of kraft lignin ultrafiltration fractions, which indicate that the optimal (nominal) molecular weight of kraft lignin for inhibiting the crystallization of CaCO(3) lies between 5000 and 10000.     

Solvent effects,species and extraction method effects,and coinitiator effects in the grafting of lignin

A general method of grafting lignin has been developed which allows solvent extracted lignin, steam exploded lignin, and kraft lignin to be converted to complex polymers. The lignins grafted have been obtained from aspen, poplar, oak, grasses, and pine. The lignins are research samples, pilot plant products, and commerical products from paper production. Nonionic copolymers of virtually any composition and molecular weight can be made from lignin and 2-propenamide by free radical reaction of 2-propenamide in the presence of the lignin. The water soluble product is a thickening agent and has limiting viscosity number in water at 30°C that vary from 0.1 to 2.0 dL/g. The grafting reaction is rapid and yields of 80 wt % or more can be obtained in as little as 30 min from reactions run in 1,4-dioxacyclohexane or dimethylsulfoxide. The reaction is initiated by a hydroperoxide, chloride ion, and lignin.     

Polymerization of lignin model compounds with formaldehyde in acidic aqueous medium

The reaction of formaldehyde with lignin model compounds in acidic medium was shown to give fast crosslinking of alkyl-substituted phenolic and etherified phenolic lignin model compounds at positions meta to the aromatic hydroxy groups. This reaction differs from the reaction of formaldehyde with phenolic lignin model compounds in alkaline conditions, where the reaction with formaldehyde always occurs at positions ortho/para to the aromatic hydroxy group., The reaction of formaldehyde with lignin in acidic medium have considerable potential for the crosslinking of lignin, particularly heavily condensed alkali lignin, for use in polymeric products.     

CH2 CHF与臭氧反应机理的量子化学研究

用量子化学MP2方法,在6-311+ +G(d,p)基组水平上研究了烯烃CH2CHF与臭氧反应的机理,对氟代乙烯臭氧化反应Criegee机理进行了系统的计算,全参数优化了反应过程中反应物、中间体、过渡态和产物的几何构型,在QCISD(T)/6-311+ +G(d,p)水平上计算了它们的能量.并对它们进行了频率分析,以确定中间体和过渡态的真实性.研究结果表明,氟代乙烯与臭氧反应沿Criegee机理是可信的、合理的.同时研究还发现,就氟代乙烯与臭氧反应活性而言,其控制步骤的位垒较低,可以说氟代乙烯与臭氧反应活性较强,也就是说氟代乙烯对臭氧的损耗较大.     

Selective extraction and conversion of lignin in actual biomass to monophenols: A review

Our over dependency on the fossil resource for industrial chemicals and fuels faces great challenges.Recently, the production of monophenols from lignin in lignocellulosic biomass is regarded as a promising process for sustainable biofuels. This article discusses the conversion of lignin in actual biomass directly to monophenols. The two step way including extraction of lignin from biomass and further degradation of the lignin oligomers to monophenols is especially discussed. The obtained monophenols can also be converted to chemicals with low-oxygen content via hydrodeoxygenation process. For extraction of lignin,co-solvent system is the most adopted for hydrolysis or solvolysis of lignin assisted by acid or alkaline catalysts. The structure of the obtained oligomers derived from lignin is discussed in detail. For lignin depolymerization, hydrogenolysis is an efficient method with the use of gaseous hydrogen or alcohols as hydrogen source. At the meantime, depolymerization mechanism and the route for repolymerization of the reaction intermediates are presented here. In hydrodeoxygenation process, metal catalysts, especially noble metal catalysts are required. The precise effects of the reaction solvents and catalysts on extraction and degradation of lignin need to be further investigated, and this will benefit to design more efficient strategies for lignin utilization.     

Synthesis and characterization of graft copolymers from lignin and 2-propenamide

Free radical polymerization of 2-propenamide in the presence of lignin, anhydrous calcium chloride, and cericion in photolyzed dioxane solvent produces a reaction product containing lignin-(1-amidoethylene) graft copolymer. Up to 49 weight percent of the product is poly(1-amidoethylene) homopolymer. Photolysis products of dioxane and the presence of anhydrous calcium chloride are critical to the reaction. A maximum yield of polymer is obtained when the dioxane solvent is irradiated for 3 h in a Pyrex vessel and the reaction mixture contains 2.0 weight percent calcium chloride. Aqueous size exclusion chromatography of reaction products shows that the molecular size of the lignin-(2-propenamide) reaction product is significantly greater than that of unreacted lignin, that the side chain and the lignin backbone migrate as one unit through the column, and that mixtures of lignin and poly(1-amidoethylene) are easily separated by the chromatographic column.     

碱木质素在超临界水中Ru/C纳米管催化气化的降解研究

针对碱木质素难降解的特点,在间歇式反应器中,以Ru/C纳米管为催化剂,对碱木质素在超临界水中的气化进行研究。分别探讨了碱木质素在不同温度、水密度、反应时间、反应浓度、催化剂量的影响,并且分析了Ru/C纳米管催化剂的催化效率。通过单因素实验分析,确定了Ru/C纳米管催化剂催化气化碱木质素的最佳反应条件为,反应温度600 ℃、水密度0.128 4 g/cm³、反应时间60 min、反应质量分数3.0%、催化剂量0.5 g/g(碱木质素)。结果表明,碱木质素在超临界水气化过程中,高温、高水密度(或压力)、长反应时间、低反应物浓度及适量的催化剂将更有利于碱木质素的气化。在最佳反应条件下碱木质素的气化率和碳气化率分别达到73.74%和56.34%,且制氢能力也得到明显提高。