Time: 2018-11-06
Prof. Hasan Jameel has given a lecture titled "Development of an economically viable biorefinery by upgrading the value of the lignin residue".

Time: 2018-11-06
Prof. Hou-min Chang has given a lecture titled "Biphenyl structure and its impact on the macromolecular structure of lignin".

Time: 2018-11-02
Huifang Liu got her doctoral degree on November 2^nd, 2018. Congratulation!

The increasing emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) are primarily driven by the rapid expansion of energy-intensive sectors such as the chemical industry. This work selects ethylene as a model study to represent the low-carbon roadmap of chemical production.

A novel synthetic approach has now been developed to produce quinazolinones from olefins, CO, and amines over heterogeneous Ru‐clusters/ceria catalyst in the absence of acids, bases, and oxidants. Furthermore, H₂O is generated as the only by‐product. A series of quinazolinones with aromatic or non‐aromatic substituents can be obtained in yields of up to 99 %

We herein propose a "cutting tail" methodology to produce phenol from lignin, which is achieved by combining Ru/CeO₂ catalyst and CuCl₂ oxidant via an oxidation–hydrogenation route. Phenol was obtained from separated poplar lignin with 13 wt % yield.

We herein report a mild photocatalytic oxidative strategy for C–C bond cleavage of lignin β-O-4 and β-1 linkages using a mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride catalyst. Identifications by solid-state NMR techniques and density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that π–π stacking interactions are most likely present between the flexible carbon nitride surface and lignin model molecule.

Valuable polyester monomers and plasticizers—1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, and 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylates—have been prepared by a new strategy. The synthetic processes involve a proline‐catalyzed formal [3+1+2] cycloaddition of formaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, and acrylate (or fumarate).