Selective Production of 1,3‐Diethylbenzene by Electrocatalytic Hydrocracking of Bamboo Lignin in Alkaline Solution

Abstract This study proposed a novel procedure for the selective production of 1,3‐diethylbenzene ( m ‐DEB) by the electrocatalytic hydrocracking of bamboo lignin in alkaline solution. The electrocatalytic reaction was carried out in the fixed bed three‐dimensional electrode reactor, which consisted of Ti/SnO 2 ‐Sb 2 O 3 / α ‐PbO 2 / β ‐PbO 2 anode, copper mesh cathode, and ceramic particles that filled between the anode and cathode. Under the optimal conditions of 50 g/L lignin in NaOH solution (0.5 mol/L), a current density of 25 mA/cm 2 , a temperature of 25 °C, and reaction time of 10 h, bamboo lignin was completely decomposed and an accumulated total yield of 35.7 g/L was obtained. Furthermore, the accumulated yield of m ‐DEB reached a maximum of 0.361 g/g‐lignin by using a lignin concentration of 30 g/L. In addition, the formation of m ‐DEB was a zero‐order kinetic reaction.