The Formation of Covalent Linkages in Lignocellulosic Biomass via the Oxocarbenium Intermediate

Understanding the formation of lignin-carbohydrate complex (LCC) linkages in lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is crucial because these interactions contribute to plant recalcitrance. Herein, a new mechanism for LCC linkage formation, based on the formation of the oxocarbenium intermediate, is explored. We applied density functional theory to monosaccharides and monolignol molecules serving as models for LCB. Mannopyranose, xylopyranose, arabinofuranose, and glucopyranuronic acid were used for hemicellulose; p-coumaryl alcohol, coniferyl alcohol, and sinapyl alcohol were employed for lignin. Computations without explicit water molecules predict the stable formation of glycosidic bonds between all lignin and sugar models, with some exceptions. Including explicit water molecules showed that, for all systems, the formation of LCC bonds is more thermodynamically favorable than in the absence of water or when using implicit solvent models. The explicit solvent models indicate that hydrogen bonds involving water and organic molecules promote the formation of stable LCC bonds. Transition states and intermediates associated with oxocarbenium ions were found for mannopyranose and xylopyranose, thus evaluating the kinetics of LCC linkage formation for major components of hemicellulose. These results suggest that glycosylation reactions via the oxocarbenium intermediate can occur in plant cell walls, further providing evidence for the formation of covalent LCC linkages in LCB.