Process for converting phenolic compounds into aromatic hydrocarbons

A process for the selective hydrodeoxygenation of phenolic feeds into aromatic hydrocarbons by subjecting the phenolic feeds to a one-pot hydrotreatment in absence of external supply of molecular hydrogen, where the hydrotreatment comprises a step of contacting the phenolic feeds with a transition metal catalyst and a solid acid catalyst in the presence of a hydrogen donor (H-donor) at an autogenous pressure of 5 to 150 bar and at a temperature of 50° C. to 300° C. in a first reactor to yield oxidized H-donor, separating the oxidized H-donor from the reaction mixture and transferring the oxidized H-donor into a second reactor, contacting said oxidized H-donor with molecular hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst in said second reactor to yield a regenerated H-donor, and transferring said regenerated H-donor into the first reactor, which operates in absence of external supply of molecular hydrogen, wherein the H-donor is selected from secondary alcohols having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, cyclic alkenes having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, polyols comprising 2 to 9 carbon atoms, saccharides, formic acid or mixtures thereof, wherein the phenolic feeds are selected from lignin, phenolics derived from lignocellulosic materials selected from wood, switchgrass, sugarcane bagasse, crop residues and mixtures thereof, and bio-oils obtained by the pyrolysis of lignocellulosic materials.