Progress of oxidation of non-phenolic lignin moiety in an oxygen bleaching process via the conversion of non-phenolic into phenolic lignin moiety

To examine whether non-phenolic lignin moiety is converted into the new phenolic counterpart by the participation of active oxygen species (AOS) under oxygen bleaching conditions, a β-O-4 type dimeric lignin model compound, 2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)propane-1,3-diol (I), 2-(3,5-difluorophenoxy)-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)propane-1,3-diol (III), or 2-(3,5-difluorophenoxy)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)propane-1,3-diol (IV), was treated under conditions similar to those for oxygen bleaching. A phenolic compound, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl alcohol, was added together to generate AOS in the reaction of compound I or IV. The results obtained suggested that AOS attack the side chains of compounds I, III, and IV accompanied by the β-O-4 bond cleavages and the liberations of the corresponding phenolic compounds, 2-methoxyphenol (II), 3,5-difluorophenol (V), and compound V, respectively. However, the rapid liberation of compound V in the oxygen-alkali treatment of compound III may mainly be caused by alkaline-induced reactions and/or some oxidation reactions of the primary degradation product of compound III, a muconic acid derivative.