Lignin Carboxymethylation: Probing Fundamental Insights into Structure–Reactivity Relationships

Amidst declining fossil-based resources and environmental challenges, the focus on biobased materials has intensified. Carboxymethylation is one way to introduce reactive functionality to enhance the reactivity of lignin for a specified application. This research investigates the carboxymethylation of four lignin sources: eucalyptus kraft lignin, spruce kraft lignin, birch cyclic extracted organosolv lignin, and spruce cyclic extracted organosolv lignin. Our aim is to elucidate the role of the lignin structure in its reactivity. Using the advanced analytical techniques NMR spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, density functional theory, and size-exclusion chromatography, we provide a comprehensive characterization of the modified lignin. The findings offer valuable insights into how the chemical and physical properties of molecular lignin affect the selectivity and efficiency of the carboxymethylation reaction. These fundamental findings hold great potential for guiding considerations on the selection of lignin sources for specific applications based on their molecular properties.