Reaction Investigation and Support Optimization for the Iridium-Catalyzed Hydrodeoxygenation of Phenols

Lignin is a waste product of the pulp and paper industry, produced on a scale of tens of millions of tons annually. The hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of lignin-derived phenols is an appealing source of renewable hydrocarbons, particularly aromatic hydrocarbons. Iridium supported on niobium oxide was recently established as a viable catalyst for this reaction under mild conditions. In this work, the mechanism and pathway of this reaction are investigated through in-situ sampling alongside GC-MS and NMR characterization. In light of those results, support optimization was performed, yielding iridium catalysts with greatly increased activity and selectivity for the HDO of model compounds.