Abrasive Stripping Voltammetric Studies of Lignin and Lignin Model Compounds

Lignin is potentially a major renewable, nonfossil source of aromatic and cyclohexyl compounds. In this study, we have investigated the abrasive stripping voltammetry of lignin and four lignin model compounds in the room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) [C4mim][NTf2], [N6,2,2,2][NTf2] and [C4mim][OTf] (where [C4mim]+=1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium, [N6,2,2,2]+=n‐hexyltriethylammonium, [NTf2]−=bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide and [OTf]− =trifluoromethanesulfonate) on a gold macrodisk and in 0.1 M H2SO4 and 0.1 M NaOH on a boron‐doped diamond (BDD) macroelectrode, with the hope of using the voltammetry to fingerprint the functional groups within the lignin molecule. The use of RTILs on metal electrodes, or either acidic or basic media in combination with BDD electrodes allows solvent systems with wide electrochemical potential windows, useful for studying voltammetry which may be difficult to observe in systems where early breakdown of the solvent occurs.