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Ternary Deep Eutectic Solvent Enables Mild Lignin Arylation with High β-O-4 Retention and Cellulose Recovery
Yiyi Chen1,2, Ao Xia1,2, Cheng Chen1,2
1Key Laboratory of Low-Grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, Chongqing University Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400044, China.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
|May 28, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a novel deep eutectic solvent (DES) for efficient lignocellulose processing. The DES enables simultaneous lignin modification and carbohydrate separation, improving yields and preserving lignin structure.
Area of Science:
- Biomass Conversion
- Green Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Integrated lignocellulose valorization faces challenges due to the trade-off between carbohydrate accessibility and lignin structure preservation.
- Existing methods often struggle to achieve efficient fractionation and controlled lignin modification simultaneously.
- Developing novel solvent systems is crucial for advancing biorefinery processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design a reactive ternary deep eutectic solvent (DES) for integrated lignocellulose fractionation and in situ lignin arylation.
- To achieve selective lignin modification while maintaining carbohydrate integrity under mild conditions.
- To establish a solvent-engineering strategy for efficient biomass valorization.
Main Methods:
- Development of a reactive ternary deep eutectic solvent (DES) system.
- Application of the DES for simultaneous lignocellulose fractionation and lignin arylation.
- Characterization of arylated lignin and cellulose recovery using FTIR, 1H NMR, DFT, and Hirshfeld analyses.
- Comparison with control methods (formic acid-syringol).
Main Results:
- The ternary DES achieved selective α-arylation of lignin with 85.5% β-O-4' bond retention.
- A reconfigured hydrogen-bonding topology within the DES was identified as key to its performance.
- The system yielded 21.4 wt% arylated lignin and 92.8% cellulose recovery.
- Demonstrated superior performance compared to the formic acid-syringol control (15.8 wt% arylated lignin).
Conclusions:
- The developed reactive DES enables efficient lignocellulose fractionation and controlled lignin arylation in a single step.
- The unique hydrogen-bonding environment in the DES enhances both fractionation efficiency and lignin modification.
- This solvent-engineering approach offers a promising strategy for coupling lignin transformation with high carbohydrate recovery in biorefineries.
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