Under a modern concept of biomass biorefinery, industrial kraft lignin has been trialed for production of high value bio-based materials and chemicals. Amination by Mannich reaction was performed followed by NMR determinations to quantify the amine groups introduced and obtain accurate structural information. It has been found that the reaction was very selective at C-5 position of guaiacyl aromatic ring and completed under acidic conditions with excess amounts of reagents. 15 nitrogen atoms were introduced per 100 aromatic rings, reaching Mp of 5.06 from the original 3.92kDa. The product has a sharply enhanced solubility in diluted acetic acid aqueous solution, 31.2 vs. original 0.9 mg/ml. With a preceding phenolation which resulted in a 70% increase of aromatic rings, the final product has 33% nitrogen atoms and in sizes of 5.11kDa and very soluble (77.2 mg/ml). It can expectedly be used as surfactant chemicals, polycationic materials and slow released fertilizers etc.

Modification of industrial kraft lignin by amination

243rd National Meeting (2012)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.