Catalytic valorization of lignin is a sustainable way to provide aromatics for the human society, which depends on the electronic structure of catalytic sites. We herein report the preparation of a carbon-modified nickel catalyst via carbothermal reduction of Ni-doped layered double hydroxides. Lignosulfonate (LS), a lignin resource from the pulp industry, was used as a renewable carbon precursor. The carbon residues in the nickel surface layer changed the 3d electron distribution of nickel, which was highly selective for the C–O bond hydrogenolysis of lignin into aromatics, and 22 wt % total mass yields of aromatics were achieved from hydrogenolysis of oxidized birch lignin.

Lignin is a renewable and abundant aromatic polymer found in plants. 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. Even raw biomass, such as poplar, birch, pine, peanut, bamboo willow, and straw, could be converted into phenol in 1–33 mg per gram of biomass.