Catalytic hydroconversion of two lignin-related model compounds over Ni/CeO2

Ni/CeO2 with medium-strong acidity was prepared by in-situ carbon templating (ISCT) and reduction with H2. Oxydibenzene (ODB) and benzyloxybenzene (BOB) were used as lignin-related model compounds (LRMCs). Over Ni/CeO2, ODB was completely converted into cyclohexane (CHI) under initial hydrogen pressure (IHP) of 2 MPa at 160 °C for 2 h and complete conversion of BOB to CHI and methylcyclohexane (MCH) was achieved under IHP of 2 MPa at 120 °C for 1.5 h. H…H transfer to the benzene rings (BRs) in the LRMCs and phenol from BOB hydrocracking results in the BR hydrogenation, while H+ transfer to the oxygen atom in BOB, hydrogenated ODB, and BOB-derived cyclohexanol (CHII) leads to the >CH-O- bond cleavage and subsequent dehydration of the resulting protonated CHII (PCHII). In addition, Ni/CeO2 exhibits an excellent reusability.