Wet Aerobic Oxidation of Lignin into Aromatic Aldehydes Catalysed by a Perovskite-type Oxide: LaFe1-xCuxO3

The perovskite-type oxide catalyst LaFe1-xCuxO3 (x=0, 0.1, 0.2) was prepared by the sol–gel method, and tested as a catalyst in the wet aerobic oxidation (WAO) of lignin into aromatic aldehydes. The lignin conversion and the yield of each aromatic aldehyde were significantly enhanced in the catalytic process, compared with the non-catalyzed process. Moreover, it was shown that the stability of activity and structure of LaFe1-xCuxO3 (x=0, 0.1, 0.2) remained nearly unchanged after a series of successive recyclings of the catalytic reactions, indicating it was an efficient and recyclable heterogeneous catalyst for the conversion of lignin into aromatic aldehydes in the WAO process.