Direct conversion of lignin phenols into high-value polyaniline and related electronic materials

该项目直接响应目标领域“自然资源和能源”、“生物能源和生物制品”，重点是“生产和分离木质素中的酚类和碳”。*生物质热解是生产可用作运输燃料的液态碳氢化合物的一种很有前途且已工业化实施的方法。然而，在“粗制生物燃料”中，约30w/w%的有机成分是木质素，木质素是各种酚类芳烃的丰富来源，但目前被浪费(或燃烧为能源)。Li团队最近发现的酚类直接催化胺化反应提供了一个新的“绿色化学”机会，通过将木质素酚类转化为芳香胺来提高生物质利用的经济可行性。将该反应用于粗热分解生物质，我们预计将达到两个目标：(1)通过pH控制的提取提供低成本分离生成胺的句柄，(2)创造高价值的电子功能材料(聚苯胺、三芳胺、咔唑)，用于下一代技术，包括聚合物电池、太阳能电池和固态照明。*该项目的成功实现可能对加拿大经济的化学和材料行业产生重大影响，从长远来看，有助于可持续的能源解决方案。作为业界对我们技术解决方案的广泛兴趣的反映，三家加拿大公司已承诺支持该项目，并将与共同投资机构合作执行该项目。Quandra化学公司感兴趣的是将苯酚转化为苯胺产品的绿色方法；高级材料公司感兴趣的是苯胺和聚苯胺产品；1-材料公司感兴趣的是基于木质素衍生的苯胺前体的电子材料。该项目将在绿色化学、化学工程和材料发现方面培训理科、硕士、博士和PDF水平的学生。

This project is in direct response to the target area "Natural Resources and Energy", "1. Bioenergy and Bioproducts", focusing on "producing and separating phenolics and carbons from lignin".****Biomass thermolysis is a promising and already industrially implemented approach for the production of liquid hydrocarbons that can be used as a transportation fuel. However, in the "crude biofuel", ca 30 w/w % of the organic component is lignin, which is a rich source of various phenolic aromatics, but is currently wasted (or burnt for energy). The recently discovered in Li's group *direct* catalytic amination of phenols provides a new "green chemistry" opportunity to enhance the economic feasibility of biomass utilization by converting the lignin phenols into aromatic amines. Adopting this reaction for the crude thermolyzed biomass, we expect to reach two goals: (1) provide a handle for low-cost separation of the resulting amines through pH-controlled extraction and (2) create high-value electronically functional materials (polyanilines, triarylamine, carbazoles) to be used in next generation technologies, including polymer batteries, solar cells and solid-state lighting.****The successful realization of the project could have a major impact on chemical and materials sectors of Canadian economy, and in the long term, contribute to a sustainable energy solutions. As a reflection of this wide industrial interest in our technical solution, three Canadian companies have pledged their support to the project and will collaborate with co-PIs in executing the project. Quandra Chemicals is interested in green methods of conversion phenols into aniline products; Advanced Materials Inc in aniline and polyaniline products; and 1-Materials is interested electronic materials based on lignin-derived aniline precursors. The project will train students at BSc, MSc, PhD and PDF levels in green chemistry, chemical engineering and materials discovery.