Experimental and Kinetic Study on the Gas-Phase Pyrolysis of Syringol

Syringyl (3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl) units are abundant in hardwood lignin, which explains the large amount of syringol present in bio-oils derived from these feeds. To improve understanding of the decomposition chemistry of these syringyl units, the gas-phase pyrolysis kinetics of syringol have been studied experimentally and theoretically under typical fast pyrolysis conditions. The experiments were performed at 673-923 K in a micropyrolyzer unit hyphenated with a gas chromatography (GC) x gas chromatography-flame ionization detection/time-of-flight mass spectrometry and a customized gas chromatograph, which allows to detect and quantify products with boiling points up to 823 K next to permanent gases and water. New obtained experimental data show that 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde is the most important phenolic product, and a large amount of pyrolytic water was formed. The proposed decomposition pathways of syringol to these two products show two new features: (1) 2,3dihydroxybenzaldehyde is formed from a unimolecular decomposition of syringol without any stable intermediates and (2) both pathways leading to 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde and water involve one more H-atom migration step to form the more stable radicals. Potential energy surface calculations at the CBS-QB3 level of theory indicate that the new features are kinetically favorable. Furthermore, a detailed kinetic model for syringol pyrolysis including 361 reactions and 93 species was constructed. Thermodynamic data for important species and kinetics for crucial reactions were determined with ab initio calculations at the CBS-QB3 level of theory. The model predicts well the conversion of syringol and the formation of major products. A rate of production analysis shows that the new proposed pathway is the major decomposition pathway of syringol. These findings shed new light on the pyrolysis and oxidation chemistry of syringyl species.

Automated summary

The gas-phase pyrolysis kinetics of syringol, an abundant component in hardwood lignin, were studied using experimental and theoretical approaches. The experimental results revealed that 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde is the most important phenolic product, along with the formation of significant pyrolytic water. The proposed decomposition pathways and the findings from the kinetic model provide new insights into the chemistry of syringyl species during pyrolysis.