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Origin of the acetylated structures present in white birch (Betula pendula Roth) milled wood lignin

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Abstract

The occurrence and nature of acetate groups in the milled wood lignin (MWL) isolated from birch (Betula pendula Roth) has been addressed by spectroscopic (2D-NMR) and chemical degradative (derivatization followed by reductive cleavage, DFRC) methods. Considerable amounts of acetate groups were present in the MWL preparation. However, 2D-NMR analysis indicated that the lignin polymer is not extensively acetylated and that the major part of the acetate groups is attached to the xylan moieties present in the MWL preparation. Nevertheless, evidence of the presence of minor acetylation of the γ-carbon of the lignin side chain (<3% of both syringyl and guaiacyl lignin units) was provided by DFRC analysis.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Prof. Jesús Jiménez-Barbero and Dr. Lidia Nieto (CIB, CSIC) for the acquisition of the HSQC spectrum.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, CSIC, P.O. Box 1052, 41080, Seville, Spain

    Jorge Rencoret, José C. del Río & Ana Gutiérrez

  2. Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Ángel T. Martínez

  3. Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Göteborg, Sweden

    Shiming Li

  4. Södra Cell AB, R&D, 430 20, Väröbacka, Sweden

    Jim Parkås

  5. Forest Products and Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Göteborg, Sweden

    Knut Lundquist

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  1. Jorge Rencoret
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  2. José C. del Río
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  3. Ana Gutiérrez
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  4. Ángel T. Martínez
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  5. Shiming Li
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  6. Jim Parkås
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  7. Knut Lundquist
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Correspondence to José C. del Río.

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Rencoret, J., del Río, J.C., Gutiérrez, A. et al. Origin of the acetylated structures present in white birch (Betula pendula Roth) milled wood lignin. Wood Sci Technol 46, 459–471 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-011-0417-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-011-0417-z

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