Oxovanadium complexes catalyzed oxidation of lignin and lignin dimers in acetonitrile/water under O2

Catalytic oxidative conversion of C/G-type lignin coexisting in Tung nutshells to aromatic aldehydes and acids

“…During the CuCl 2 catalytic oxidation process (Scheme S2, ESI †), the Cu 2+ Lewis acid sites are probably exposed by hydrolysis in the CH 3 CN/H 2 O co-solvent. 45,46 Then, Cu 2+ can interact with the O atom of the lignin units and further weaken the C-C bond, which would contribute to the cleavage of the C and G linkages and the final formation of protocatechuic aldehyde, protocatechuic acid, vanillin, and vanillic acid.…”