Process for the production of oxidized wood products

A process for the production of vanillin, vanillic acid, acetovanilone, syringaldehyde, and veratraldehyde from softwood, hardwood, lignin, or a mixture thereof, comprising the step a) reacting chips of the one or more wood products in a basic solution, wherein the basic solution is an aqueous solution with bases selected from the group comprising NaOH, KOH, Ca(OH)2 and Mg(OH)2, at a pH between 8 and 14, wherein the basic solution has a molarity of 3 to 5 M, under an oxygen atmosphere using substantially pure oxygen, at a pressure between 0.5 and 10 MPa and wherein the temperature is below 160° C., under stirring for between 6 and 36 hours, wherein a use of a metal catalyst is disclaimed, and wherein the reaction results in one or more of vanillin, vanillic acid, acetovanilone, syringaldehyde, and veratraldehyde.