A synergistic biorefinery based on catalytic conversion of lignin prior to cellulose starting from lignocellulosic biomass

Trenton Parsell; Sara Yohe; John Degenstein; Tiffany Jarrell; Ian Klein; Emre Gencer; Barron Hewetson; Matt Hurt; Jeong Im Kim; Harshavardhan Choudhari; Basudeb Saha; Richard Meilan; Nathan Mosier; Fabio Ribeiro; W. Nicholas Delgass; Clint Chapple; Hilkka I. Kenttämaa; Rakesh Agrawal; Mahdi M. Abu-Omar

doi:10.1039/C4GC01911C

A synergistic biorefinery based on catalytic conversion of lignin prior to cellulose starting from lignocellulosic biomass†

Trenton Parsell,‡^ab Sara Yohe,‡^bc John Degenstein,‡^bc Tiffany Jarrell,^ab Ian Klein,^ab Emre Gencer,^bc Barron Hewetson,^bd Matt Hurt,^ab Jeong Im Kim,^be Harshavardhan Choudhari,^bc Basudeb Saha,^ab Richard Meilan,^bf Nathan Mosier,^bd Fabio Ribeiro,^bc W. Nicholas Delgass,^bc Clint Chapple,^be Hilkka I. Kenttämaa,^ab Rakesh Agrawal*^bc and Mahdi M. Abu-Omar*^abc

Author affiliations

* Corresponding authors

^a Brown Laboratory and Negishi Brown Institute, Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA

^b The Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion of Biomass to Biofuels (C3Bio), Discovery Park, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
E-mail: agrawalr@purdue.edu, mabuomar@purdue.edu

^c School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA

^d Laboratory of Renewable Resources Engineering and Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA

^e Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA

^f Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA

Abstract

Current biomass utilization processes do not make use of lignin beyond its heat value. Here we report on a bimetallic Zn/Pd/C catalyst that converts lignin in intact lignocellulosic biomass directly into two methoxyphenol products, leaving behind the carbohydrates as a solid residue. Genetically modified poplar enhanced in syringyl (S) monomer content yields only a single product, dihydroeugenol. Lignin-derived methoxyphenols can be deoxygenated further to propylcyclohexane. The leftover carbohydrate residue is hydrolyzed by cellulases to give glucose in 95% yield, which is comparable to lignin-free cellulose (solka floc). New conversion pathways to useful fuels and chemicals are proposed based on the efficient conversion of lignin into intact hydrocarbons.

This article is part of the themed collection: 2015 most accessed Green Chemistry articles

Green Chemistry

A synergistic biorefinery based on catalytic conversion of lignin prior to cellulose starting from lignocellulosic biomass†

Abstract

Supplementary files

Article information

Download Citation

Author version available

Permissions

A synergistic biorefinery based on catalytic conversion of lignin prior to cellulose starting from lignocellulosic biomass

Social activity

Search articles by author

Spotlight

Advertisements