Low-pressure depolymerization of lignocellulosic biomass

A method of depolymerizing a lignin component of a lignin-containing material comprising:

• (i) contacting the lignin-containing material with a solvent and optionally a catalyst at a temperature in the range of 180-300° C. and at a maximum operating pressure of less than 10 barG during the depolymerization of the lignin component of the material, wherein the solvent has a boiling point higher than the reaction temperature;
• and
• (ii) collecting at least one volatile stream comprising one or more depolymerized lignin products, wherein at least one of the one or more depolymerized lignin products comprises a substituted phenol having the following general formula:
• wherein R1 is H, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, propenyl, or allyl, and R2 and R3 are independently selected from H or methoxy group, and
• wherein the step of contacting the lignin-containing material with the solvent and optionally the catalyst is carried out in a reactive distillation reactor, and
• wherein the step of collecting at least one volatile stream comprises concurrently collecting at least one volatile stream via a distillation apparatus connected to the reactive distillation reactor.