Hydrodeoxygenation of lignin-derived phenols: From fundamental studies towards industrial applications

Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of bio-oils, lignin and their model compounds is summarized in this review. The main emphasis is put on elucidating the reaction network, catalyst stability and time-on-stream behavior, in order to better understand the prerequisite for industrial utilization of biomass in HDO to produce fuels and chemicals. The results have shown that more oxygenated feedstock, selection of temperature and pressure as well as presence of certain catalyst poisons or co-feed have a prominent role in the HDO of real biomass. Theoretical considerations, such as density function theory (DFT) calculations, were also considered, giving scientific background for the further development of HDO of real biomass.