Aromatic products from reaction of lignin model compounds with UV-alkaline peroxide

A series of guaiacyl and syringyl lignin model compounds and their methylated analogues were reacted with alkaline hydrogen peroxide while irradiating with UV light at 254 nm. The aromatic products obtained were investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Guaiacol, syringol and veratrol gave no detectable aromatic products. However, syringol methyl ether gave small amounts of aromatic products, resulting from ring substitution and methoxyl displacement by hydroxyl radicals. Reaction of vanillin and syringaldehyde gave the Dakin reaction products, methoxy-1,4-hydroquinones, while reaction of their methyl ethers yielded benzoic acids. Acetoguaiacone, acetosyringone and their methyl ethers afforded several hydroxylated aromatic products, but no aromatic products were identified in the reaction mixtures from guaiacylpropane and syringylpropane. In contrast, veratrylpropane gave a mixture from which 17 aromatic hydroxylated compounds were identified. It is concluded that for phenolic lignin model compounds, particularly those possessing electron-donating aromatic ring substituents, ring-cleavage reactions involving superoxide radical anions are dominant, whereas for non-phenolic lignin models, hydroxylation reactions through attack of hydroxyl radicals prevail.