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U.S. Department of Energy
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Alcoholysis of lignin (in German)

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5178455

Attempts were made to find uses for the lignin, which was a waste product of saccharification processes. Hydrogenation of lignin in alcohol solution to a mixture of alkyl phenols and phenol ethers of varied molecular weights is described. The process could actually be described as a process of alcoholysis catalyzed by hydrogen, since it took place to some extent even without addition of hydrogen gas. The most effective solvent and reaction medium tested was n-propanol. Other solvents tried included dioxane, cyclohexanol, ligroin, methanol, ethanol, and n-butanol. Many catalysts and reaction conditions were tried. The most successful catalyst seemed to be one designated PH86 (containing copper, barium, chromium, and zinc) used in an amount of 10% of the amount of lignin used. A pressure of 100 atm for hydrogen, a temperature of 360/sup 0/C, and a reaction time of seven hours seemed to give best results. The best proportions of input to the stirring autoclave reaction vessel seemed to be 900 g of lignin to 1500 cubic cm of n-propanol. Comparative experiments were run on wood chips or sawdust which had not been subjected to a saccharification process. Because they could be dissolved and reacted much more easily than the saccharification residue, it was concluded that lignin was considerably changed by the saccharification processes.

Research Organization:
I.G. Farbenindustrie, Ludwigshafen (Germany)
OSTI ID:
5178455
Report Number(s):
TOM-300-6646-6656
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
German