This thesis is focused on the development of strategies for lignocellulosic biomass valorization. The thesis consists of two parts.

The first part of the presented work is related to the catalytic fractionation of biomass (lignin-first approach) and the production of monomeric compounds from lignocellulose. In the first project (Chapter 2) we have established a process to study the transformations occurring during the catalytic organosolv pulping of wood in the presence of Pd/C. This was achieved by performing a fractionation under continuous-flow conditions. In the designed process, the pulping and the transition metal catalyzed reactions were separated in space and time. Thus, the role of the solvolysis and the transfer hydrogenation reactions were studied independently. We discovered that during the solvolysis of wood, a substantial amount of monomeric lignin fragments are released into the solution. The main role of the catalyst is to stabilize these monomers and prevent their repolymerization. Based on the obtained knowledge we developed a new version of the lignin-first approach (Chapter 3). In this process zeolites were used as shape-selective catalysts. We have demonstrated that by tuning the size of pores of the catalyst the undesirable bimolecular reactions can be minimized. Furthermore, the released monomers can be converted into stable products via transfer hydrogenation reactions.  

The second part is related to studies of dimeric and trimeric lignin model compounds. In Chapter 4, the reactivity of the dibenzodioxocin motif, which is considered a main branching point in the lignin structure has been investigated. We have designed a protocol for the catalytic reductive cleavage of lignin model compounds representing this motif, in the presence of Pd/C and benign hydride donors. The cleavage of the dibenzodioxocin structure results in the formation of dimeric biaryl compounds. Unlike monomers, the valorization of lignin-derived dimers is less studied. The last chapter is focused on the transformation of biaryls into highly functionalized synthetic building blocks. This was achieved via a visible light induced dearomative spirolactonization of biaryl carboxylic acids. The synthetic value of the obtained products was demonstrated by the conversion of the products into more complex structures.

This thesis is dedicated to the research of fractionation and valorization of different types of woody biomass. In the first part, oak (Quercus suber) and birch (Betula pendula) barks are considered. Bark is the outer layer of wood and is treated as waste in the current wood processing technologies. The main polymers which form bark are lignin (aromatic polyether) and suberin (aliphatic polyester). In the present study, these compounds have been transformed into monomeric phenols which may serve as a precursors for bio-based polyesters, and hydrocarbon bio-oil of gasoline, diesel, and heavy gas oil ranges. The bio-oil has been studied with GC-MS, 2D GC, and simulated distillation techniques.  

The second part concerns birch heartwood. In contrast with bark, wood does not contain suberin but has a higher content of lignin. A variety of fractionation processes are known for wood. The major disadvantages are contamination of pulp with catalyst and irreversible recondensation of lignin which takes place in harsh pulping conditions. For the purpose of solving these problems, a flow process has been developed in which the biomass and the catalyst are separated in time and space and the lignin is stabilized and cleaved into monomers immediately after its extraction. The process has been optimized to obtain monophenolic lignin-derived compounds, while the remaining cellulose pulp was enzymatically converted into glucose. Hemicellulose serves as a hydrogen donor for the lignin reduction, and therefore no external hydrogen source is required. The experimental work was complemented with a theoretical study of the process of lignin cleavage on the Pd surface. Computations under on the ReaxFF approach were used to model the successive steps of the adsorption of the molecules on the catalyst, their fragmentation, reactions, and desorption. The products obtained in the experiment have been also observed in this simulation.