Molecular-Level Understanding of the Major Fragmentation Mechanisms of Cellulose Fast Pyrolysis: An Experimental Approach Based on Isotopically Labeled Model Compounds

Evaluation of the feasibility of various mechanisms possibly involved in cellulose fast pyrolysis is challenging. Therefore, selectively C-13-labeled cellotriose, O-18-labeled cellobiose, and C-13- and O-18-doubly-labeled cellobiose were synthesized and subjected to fast pyrolysis in an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization source of a linear quadrupole ion trap/orbitrap mass spectrometer. The initial products were immediately quenched, ionized using ammonium cations, and subsequently analyzed using the mass spectrometer. The loss or retention of isotope labels upon pyrolysis unambiguously revealed three major competing mechanisms-sequential losses of glycolaldehyde/ethenediol molecules from the reducing end (the reducing-end unraveling mechanism), hydroxymethylene-assisted glycosidic bond cleavage (HAGBC mechanism), and Maccoll elimination. Important discoveries include the following: (1) Reducing-end unraveling is the predominant mechanism occurring at the reducing end; (2) Maccoll elimination facilitates the cleaving of aglyconic bonds, and it is the mechanism leading to formation of reducing carbohydrates; 3) HAGBC occurs for glycosides but not at the reducing end of cellodextrins; 4) HAGBC and water loss are the predominant reactions for fast pyrolysis of 1,6-anhydrocellodextrins; and 5) HAGBC can proceed after reducing-end unraveling but unraveling does not occur once the HAGBC reaction pathway is initiated. Moreover, hydrolysis was conclusively ruled out for fast pyrolysis of cellobiose, cellotriose, and 1,6-anhydrocellodextrins up to cellotetraosan. No radical reactions were observed.