Fine tuning of CdxZn1-xS for photo-depolymerization of alkaline lignin into vanillin.

Lignin is abundant and contains a large number of aromatic groups. Herein, Cd x Zn 1-x S photocatalyst with tunable band gap energy was successfully synthesized by using 3-mercaptopropionic acid as a structure tuning additive. Cd x Zn 1-x S can depolymerize alkaline lignin to vanillin by the photocatalytic process. Each gram of alkaline lignin can produce 46.5 mg of vanillin. 2-Phenoxy-1-phenylethanol (PP-ol) and other model compounds were used to understand the depolymerizing process of lignin. Fine tuned Cd x Zn 1-x S can effectively cleave the C β -O-4 bond existed in PP-ol under simulated sunlight. The highest conversion of PP-ol was 89.5% with phenol and acetophenone yields of 66.2% and 33.5%, respectively. The mechanism studies confirm that the C α -H in PP-ol and lignin is firstly dehydrogenated to form C α radical intermediates, and then the photogenerated electrons break the adjacent C β -O bond. This research provides a new strategy to prepare valuable chemicals by virtue of renewable biomass and simulated sunlight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]