The utilization of lignin as a fuel precursor has attracted attention, and a novel and facile process has been developed for one-pot conversion of lignin into cycloalkanes and alkanes with Ni catalysts under moderate conditions.

As a promising hydrotreating catalyst, it was previously reported that Ru⋯OSn (Ru electronically interacts with Sn oxides) on RuSn/SiO2 was the active site for fatty acid hydrogenation, but here in this work we found that Ru3Sn7 nanoclusters on RuSn/SiO2 were responsible for the selective hydrogenation of diverse fatty acids and coconut oil to fatty alcohols.

A facile and effective method for the one-pot hydrodeoxygenation of enzymatic lignin to C6–C9 cycloalkanes is reported in liquid dodecane with 100 C% selectivity (approaching 50 wt% yield).