Highlights•New monomers have been discovered, and structural aspects of the lignin
polymer have been refined.•The definition of a lignin monomer has been broadened.• …

Lignin is an abundant biopolymer with a high carbon content and high aromaticity. Despite
its potential as a raw material for the fuel and chemical industries, lignin remains the most …

The valorisation of the plant biopolymer lignin is now recognised as essential to enabling
the economic viability of the lignocellulosic biorefining industry. In this context, the “lignin …

Highlights•Plant lignification is highly plastic.•Designer lignins may satisfy biological
requirements while reducing recalcitrance.•Engineered lignins may be shorter, less …

The structure of the lignin in wheat straw has been investigated by a combination of
analytical pyrolysis, 2D-NMR, and derivatization followed by reductive cleavage (DFRC). It is …

Recent advances in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology have made it possible
to rapidly screen plant material and discern whole cell wall information without the need to …

Searching for renewable alternatives for fossil carbon resources to produce chemicals, fuels
and materials is essential for the development of a sustainable society. Lignin, a major …

Reductive catalytic fractionation (RCF) has emerged as an effective biomass pretreatment
strategy to depolymerize lignin into tractable fragments in high yields. We investigate the …

Reductive catalytic fractionation (RCF) has emerged as a leading biomass fractionation and
lignin valorization strategy. Here, flowthrough reactors were used to investigate RCF of …

Lignins are complex natural polymers resulting from oxidative coupling of, primarily, 4-
hydroxyphenylpropanoids. An understanding of their nature is evolving as a result of …