Solvolysis of benzyl phenyl ether in high-temperature aqueous methanol solution under high-pressure carbon dioxide

Alcoholysis of benzyl phenyl ether to various aromatic compounds was studied in high-temperature aqueous methanol solution under high-pressure carbon dioxide conditions.

Metal triflates formation of C12-C22 phenolic compounds by simultaneous C-O breaking and C-C coupling of lignin-derived benzyl phenyl ether

The production of fuels and chemicals from lignin can mitigate greenhouse gas emissions generated by fossil fuel processing. Current upgrading pathways for converting lignin into useful chemicals require multiple steps...

Monometallic Cerium Layered Double Hydroxide Supported Pd-Ni Nanoparticles as High Performance Catalysts for Lignin Hydrogenolysis

Monometallic cerium layered double hydroxides (Ce-LDH) supports were successfully synthesized by a homogeneous alkalization route driven by hexamethylenetetramine (HMT). The formation of the Ce-LDH was confirmed and its structural and compositional properties studied by XRD, SEM, XPS, iodometric analyses and TGA. HT-XRD, N2-sorption and XRF analyses revealed that by increasing the calcination temperature from 200 to 800 °C, the Ce-LDH material transforms to ceria (CeO2) in four distinct phases, i.e., the loss of intramolecular water, dehydroxylation, removal of nitrate groups and removal of sulfate groups. When loaded with 2.5 wt% palladium (Pd) and 2.5 wt% nickel (Ni) and calcined at 500 °C, the PdNi-Ce-LDH-derived catalysts strongly outperform the PdNi-CeO2 benchmark catalyst in terms of conversion as well as selectivity for the hydrogenolysis of benzyl phenyl ether (BPE), a model compound for the α-O-4 ether linkage in lignin. The PdNi-Ce-LDH catalysts showed full selectivity towards phenol and toluene while the PdNi-CeO2 catalysts showed additional oxidation of toluene to benzoic acid. The highest BPE conversion was observed with the PdNi-Ce-LDH catalyst calcined at 600 °C, which could be related to an optimum in morphological and compositional characteristics of the support.

Efficient hydrogenolysis of aryl ethers over Ce-MOF supported Pd NPs under mild conditions: mechanistic insight using density functional theoretical calculations

The significant Pd0 content and optimum bonding of the reactant & product (higher adsorption energy of benzyl phenyl ether and lower desorption energy for phenol) are responsible for the exceptional catalytic activity of Pd/Ce-MOF.

Selective catalytic degradation of a lignin model compound into phenol over transition metal sulfates

An efficient method for degradation of benzyl phenyl ether using NiSO4·6H2O as catalyst.

Pd/Fe3O4 Nanofibers for the Catalytic Conversion of Lignin-Derived Benzyl Phenyl Ether under Transfer Hydrogenolysis Conditions

Novel magnetite-supported palladium catalysts, in the form of nanofiber materials, were prepared by using the electrospinning process. Two different synthetic techniques were used to add palladium to the nanofibers: (i) the wet impregnation of palladium on the Fe3O4 electrospun support forming the Pd/Fe3O4[wnf] catalyst or (ii) the direct co-electrospinning of a solution containing both metal precursor specimens leading to a Pd/Fe3O4[cnf] sample. The obtained Pd-based Fe3O4 nanofibers were tested in the transfer hydrogenolysis of benzyl phenyl ether (BPE), one of the simplest lignin-derived aromatic ethers, by using 2-propanol as H-donor/solvent, and their performances were compared with the analogous impregnated Pd/Fe3O4 catalyst and a commercial Pd/C. A morphological and structural characterization of the investigated catalysts was performed by means of SEM-EDX, TGA-DSC, XRD, TEM, H2-TPR, and N2 isotherm at 77 K analysis. Pd/Fe3O4[wnf] was found to be the best catalytic system allowing a complete BPE conversion after 360 min at 240 °C and a good reusability in up to six consecutive recycling tests.