Structural characterization of wheat straw lignin as revealed by analytical pyrolysis, 2D-NMR, and reductive cleavage methods

J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Jun 13;60(23):5922-35. doi: 10.1021/jf301002n. Epub 2012 Jun 1.

Abstract

The structure of the lignin in wheat straw has been investigated by a combination of analytical pyrolysis, 2D-NMR, and derivatization followed by reductive cleavage (DFRC). It is a p-hydroxyphenyl-guaiacyl-syringyl lignin (with an H:G:S ratio of 6:64:30) associated with p-coumarates and ferulates. 2D-NMR indicated that the main substructures present are β-O-4'-ethers (∼~75%), followed by phenylcoumarans (~11%), with lower amounts of other typical units. A major new finding is that the flavone tricin is apparently incorporated into the lignins. NMR and DFRC indicated that the lignin is partially acylated (~10%) at the γ-carbon, predominantly with acetates that preferentially acylate guaiacyl (12%) rather than syringyl (1%) units; in dicots, acetylation is predominantly on syringyl units. p-Coumarate esters were barely detectable (<1%) on monomer conjugates released by selectively cleaving β-ethers in DFRC, indicating that they might be preferentially involved in condensed or terminal structures.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acetylation
  • Acylation
  • Carbon / chemistry
  • Esters / chemistry
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Lignin / chemistry*
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Magnoliopsida / chemistry
  • Molecular Weight
  • Plant Stems / chemistry*
  • Proteolysis
  • Triticum / chemistry*

Substances

  • Esters
  • Carbon
  • Lignin