Fast pyrolysis of lignin is a promising method to produce aromatic chemicals and fuels. Lignin structure and pyrolysis conditions determine the liquid yield and product selectivity. Extraction of pine wood using -valerolactone (GVL) mixed with water in the presence of diluted sulfuric acid obtains lignin (GVL-lignin) which shows different product yield and selectivity. The composition of the extraction medium influences the yield of GVL-lignin and affects its native structure. The GVLto-water ratio affects the lignin yield without significantly modifying the structure of the extracted lignin, whereas the sulfuric acid concentration affects both the extraction yield and the extracted Page 1 of 29 ACS Paragon Plus Environment ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 2 lignin structure. These structural changes influence the products distribution after fast pyrolysis, which generates phenols and alkoxy phenols as the main products in the liquid fraction. Lignin extracted with a mixture of 4/1 of GVL/H 2 O (w/w) with 0.075 M sulfuric acid solution produces the highest pyrolysis liquid yield. Pyrolysis of GVL-lignin at 750 °C generates the maximum liquid yield. The amount of phenols in fast pyrolysis products increases with increasing temperature and sulfuric acid concentration used in the GVL-lignin extraction. This indicates that the extraction conditions of GVL-lignin may be optimized to increase the selectivity in fast pyrolysis.

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