Catalysis literature monitor · First run

Lignin-phenolic HDO: support design and modification

Selective, evidence-graded reading list on support chemistry, metal–support interfaces, and lignin-derived phenolic hydrodeoxygenation.

Search date: 30 October 2026 · Coverage: 30 October 2025–30 October 2026 · 5 selected research papers

Search date: 30 October 2026. Coverage window: 30 October 2025–30 October 2026 (first run, preceding 12 months). Selected new research papers: 5 (all peer-reviewed journal articles; no preprints included). Search records were deduplicated on DOI/title; no previously reported ledger was supplied, so this is the initial tracked set.

The three most useful new findings

  1. A support surface can redirect real-lignin HDO product class, not just conversion: oxygenated carbon-nanofiber surfaces restructure at the Ru interface to generate Ru/RuOx; the authors report cycloalkanes from lignin-rich corncob, versus mainly aromatics on Ru/AC and Ru/Al2O3. This is the strongest paper to read first because it tests a real lignin-rich feed and reports yields, scale-up, and reuse.
  2. Vacancy-directed Pt placement offers an unusually explicit support-to-site proximity design: hydrogen-treated Nb2O5·nH2O vacancies guide ALD Pt anchoring; the authors connect smaller Pt clusters and more nearby Brønsted acid sites with higher guaiacol conversion/cyclohexane selectivity than direct-deposited Pt. Full numerical matched-control details need the article/SI, not the abstract.
  3. Boron-doped biochar is a clear modification-versus-unmodified-support lead: the authors attribute improved Co dispersion/reduction and selective ether CAr–OCH3 cleavage to B-induced carbon defects and Co–B sites. The result targets cyclohexanol, not complete oxygen removal to cyclohexane; the abstract gives 100% guaiacol conversion and 97.4% cyclohexanol selectivity.

Ranked reading list

Rank Paper Support/modification Key performance effect Evidence strength Reading priority
1 Ma et al., Nature Communications (2026), DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-71394-z Surface-OH-rich carbon nanofiber; thermal treatment changes surface oxygen and interfacial Ru/RuOx Real lignin-rich corncob: 49.1 wt% liquid hydrocarbon mass yield, 67.7% carbon yield; cycloalkanes only; benchmark supports mainly aromatics Full OA article and SI inspected; strongest real-feed evidence Read first
2 Liang et al., ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (2026), DOI 10.1021/acsami.5c19306 H2-treated vacancy-rich Nb2O5·nH2O plus ALD Pt vs direct Pt deposition Higher guaiacol conversion and cyclohexane selectivity reported vs Pt/Nb2O5·nH2O Publisher/abstract and SI description checked; abstract-level results, article not accessible in this session Read second; inspect SI
3 Cai et al., ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (2025), DOI 10.1021/acssuschemeng.5c09353 Boron-doped porous biochar encapsulating Co; [email protected] is optimum series member Guaiacol: 100% conversion, 97.4% cyclohexanol selectivity at 160 °C, 2 MPa Publisher abstract and SI record verified; full methods/quantitative support-property table not read Read third
4 Xie et al., ACS Catalysis (2025), DOI 10.1021/acscatal.5c05149 In-situ-doped, mesoporous TiO2 with oxygen vacancies anchoring atomically dispersed Ru (0.05 wt% Ru) >95% guaiacol conversion and >95% demethoxylation selectivity; Ru single-atom identity retained through 10 cycles at 300 °C, 2 MPa H2 Publisher abstract/PDF record and university author record verified; only abstract-level experimental details retrieved Read fourth, especially for selective de-methoxylation
5 Qiu et al., ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (2026), DOI 10.1021/acssuschemeng.6c08806 Ni/CeO2 prepared hydrothermally/pyrolytically; water–glycerol used as in-situ hydrogen donor; interface/vacancy/acid-site effects Guaiacol conversion 56.71% at 280 °C, 6 h; close to 50% conversion after four uses; target is phenols Publisher abstract and SI listing checked; article is paywalled and detailed metrics/conditions unavailable Lower priority pending full-text access; unusual hydrogen source/product target

Detailed paper summaries

1) Real-feed HDO over oxygen-functionalized carbon nanofibers — read closely

Citation and access. Hongfei Ma, Chen Chen, Guoyan Ma, Tian Ouyang, Hao Zhang, Qixian Wang, Wenjing Wei, Yifan Li, Yi Cui, and De Chen, “Interfacial Ru/RuOx heterostructures on carbon support regulate selectivity in lignin hydrodeoxygenation,” Nature Communications 17, 4878 (2026), published 11 April 2026. DOI · Publisher article / lawful OA full text and PDF · Supplementary Information. Full text and SI listing assessed. The main article is CC BY 4.0 open access; SI is linked by the publisher.

Why care. This paper tests actual lignin-rich residue and beechwood rather than only monomers, and makes product class (cycloalkanes vs aromatics) a function of support surface oxygen chemistry. It also reports a scale-up and six semi-continuous recycle runs.

Catalyst/support and preparation. 5 wt% Ru on carbon nanofibers (CNF); Ru is highly dispersed and the working interface contains metallic Ru and partially oxidized RuOx. CNF was made by CVD using iron oxide and CO/H2 syngas (4:1); the as-prepared CNF was thermally treated under Ar at 700 or 1000 °C to remove surface oxygen groups, giving Ru/CNF-700 and Ru/CNF-1000 comparisons. Ru/activated carbon (AC) and Ru/Al2O3 are benchmarks. This is a support-surface-functionality intervention that also restructures/partially oxidizes Ru at the interface—not a support-only perturbation. Exact Ru loading on benchmark catalysts and detailed impregnation/reduction steps: not reported in the retrieved main-text passages.

Performance/conditions. Batch tests used 0.1 g lignin-rich corncob residue, 0.1 g catalyst, 20 mL dodecane, 5 MPa H2, 250 °C, 8 h. Ru/CNF gave 49.1% hydrocarbon mass yield and 67.7% carbon yield; no aromatic products were detected, with cycloalkanes reported. At matched stated conditions, Ru/AC gave 14.8% mass and 21.6% carbon yield; Ru/Al2O3 was lower than Ru/AC (exact yield not in retrieved passage). Ru/CNF-700 and -1000 mass yields fell to 16.2% and 11.5%, respectively; aromatic yield increased with treatment, to 12% for Ru/CNF-1000. Six semi-continuous replenishment cycles showed no observable deactivation. Beechwood gave ~20% hydrocarbon mass yield with complete deoxygenation; a fivefold scale-up gave 44% mass yield, mainly cycloalkanes. These are feed-level yields, not model-compound selectivities or intrinsic rates. No carbon balance was specified in the retrieved passages.

What changed and evidence. XRD/TEM/HAADF-STEM and EDX support high Ru dispersion; XANES/EXAFS, NAP-XPS, XPS, and HR-TEM support Ru/RuOx coexistence and state changes with CNF pretreatment. RuOx contribution by Ru 3d deconvolution decreased from 58% (Ru/CNF) to 49.9% (700 °C) and 35.2% (1000 °C). Textural pore properties were reported as similar across CNF pretreatments, helping separate chemistry from pore changes; authors report negligible structural effect from high-temperature pretreatment. XPS under 0.2 mbar H2 is acknowledged by the authors to be nearly four orders of magnitude below 5 MPa reaction pressure, so it indicates relative trends, not necessarily the exact working-state fractions. Inference: the matched product/yield changes plus measured Ru-state trend support an oxygen-functionality/interface effect, but pretreatment changes both support oxygen and Ru oxidation state; it is not a clean isolated support-only causal test.

Read these items. Main text Fig. 1: synthesis and Ru structural evidence; Fig. 2 and its caption: matched feed-level yield/product comparison; Fig. 3: NAP-XPS/Ru-state comparison; Fig. 5: calculated mechanistic energy profiles (interpret as model-based support, not direct observation). In SI, prioritize Table S1 and Figs. S3–S8 (textural/structural comparability), Figs. S11 and Table S4 (carbon-number product distribution), Figs. S13–S17 (reuse, real feed, scale-up and spent catalyst), and Figs. S18–S23 (temperature/time behavior). 10-minute route: abstract → Fig. 1 → Fig. 2 and condition caption → Fig. 3 → discussion of 700/1000 °C comparisons. Deeper: read SI S1/S3–S8, S11/S4, S13–S23, then methods and the model assumptions behind Fig. 5.

Main caveat / next test. Surface hydroxyls migrate and produce O-decorated Ru, so support modification and active-phase restructuring are entangled. A useful causal test is a matched series at fixed Ru loading/particle size and matched accessible Ru area, with independently quantified CNF oxygen speciation and Ru oxidation state before and under realistic H2 pressure; then compare initial rates and carbon/oxygen balances on both real feed and a defined phenolic mixture.

2) Vacancy-guided ALD Pt on hydrated niobia

Citation and access. Shudong Liang, Shaocheng Zhang, Qian Jiang, Yufan Zhao, Jing Luo, Xiaohan Wang, and Zhe Gao, “Site-Selective Pt Anchoring on Oxygen Vacancies by Atomic Layer Deposition Promotes Metal–Acid Synergy for Enhanced Guaiacol Hydrodeoxygenation,” ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 18(1), 1302–1311 (2026), published online 5 January 2026. DOI · Publisher article · PubMed abstract. Publisher lists free SI. Abstract-level only in this run; ACS page blocked direct reading; SI contents were visible in publisher search record, not downloaded/read.

Why care. Rather than merely selecting a different support, it combines vacancy engineering and ALD to place Pt near acid sites; it is among the clearest spatial-design tests in the new literature.

Catalyst/support. Pt on hydrated niobia, Nb2O5·nH2O; H2 heat treatment creates oxygen vacancies before ALD, producing Pt/Ov-Nb2O5·nH2O. Comparator Pt/Nb2O5·nH2O uses direct Pt deposition. Abstract does not disclose Pt loading, number of ALD cycles, exact H2 pretreatment temperature/time, hydrated-support phase/structure details, reaction solvent, batch/flow reactor, or time/pressure/temperature.

Performance and modification evidence. Authors report higher guaiacol conversion and cyclohexane selectivity for vacancy-pretreated/ALD Pt than direct-deposited Pt. The abstract does not provide numerical conversion/selectivity/yield or kinetic rate; do not infer full deoxygenation from cyclohexane selectivity alone. Authors attribute the result to vacancy-directed smaller Pt clusters, increased Brønsted acid site (BAS) concentration from local NbO6 distortion, and closer Pt–BAS proximity. Characterization named in the SI includes TEM/HAADF-STEM, CO pulse adsorption, pyridine-FTIR, EPR, UV–vis DRS, XRD and DRIFTS. No quantitative magnitude for the property differences was accessible in the abstract.

Read route / next test. 10 minutes: abstract → catalyst synthesis/control scheme → main performance comparison → microscopy/acid-site evidence. Deeper: SI TEM and CO uptake, pyridine-FTIR/BAS quantification, EPR vacancy quantification before/after reaction, and reaction-time/selectivity data. Main unresolved issue is whether improvement survives matching Pt dispersion/exposed Pt sites independently of vacancy-associated acidity. Test ALD and direct-deposition samples at matched Pt particle size/loading and Pt surface area, then independently titrate/block BAS and Ov sites and compare differential rates/product balances.

3) Boron-doped porous biochar-encapsulated Co

Citation and access. Ying Cai, Xiaoqing Liao, Yang Lv, and Pingle Liu, “Highly Efficient Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol over Boron-Doped Porous Biochar-Encapsulated Co Nanocatalysts under Mild Conditions,” ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (2025), published online 2 December 2025. DOI · Publisher article · Free Supporting Information (PDF). Publisher abstract and SI record assessed; full article not accessible in this run.

Why care. B incorporation is a purposeful carbon-support modification, with authors connecting support defects and Co–B coordination to metal dispersion/reducibility and selective ether cleavage. Product target is cyclohexanol—selective demethoxylation with ring hydrogenation while retaining the aliphatic OH—not maximum oxygen removal.

Catalyst/support. Series of B-doped porous biochar-encapsulated Co nanocatalysts; [email protected] is the best reported composition. Abstract supports B doping, defects, electron-deficient Co and Co–B Lewis-acid sites. Exact B loading basis, preparation/pyrolysis temperatures, Co loading/particle sizes, reductive pretreatment and matched undoped control numerical characterization are not accessible from abstract. It is both support modification and a support-induced change in active Co chemistry.

Performance and conditions. Model-compound batch/flow mode, solvent, catalyst/feed ratio, reaction time and conversion/selectivity calculation basis are not accessible in the abstract record. Reported optimum is 160 °C and 2 MPa; guaiacol conversion 100%, cyclohexanol selectivity 97.4%. Yield, rate/TOF, carbon balance and stability are not reported in the abstract, so not supplied here. Authors report in-situ DRIFTS, kinetics and DFT supporting selective CAr–OCH3 activation and phenol intermediate formation.

What changed / read route. Abstract-level causal story: B doping → carbon defects/electron-deficient Co and Co–B Lewis acidity → improved dispersion/reduction and selective ether cleavage. Matched quantitative values are needed before assigning the performance gain solely to support doping. 10 minutes: abstract → main catalyst-series performance figure/table → B-content versus defect/Co-state/acidity characterization → product distribution. Deeper: SI characterization and DFT models/energies, kinetic data, and undoped-vs-doped catalyst comparisons at matched Co loading/particle size. Best next experiment: B-loading series with constant Co loading and particle size, plus Lewis-acid-site blocking and time-course carbon balances.

4) Vacancy-rich mesoporous TiO2 anchoring ultra-low-loading Ru single atoms

Citation and access. Tianqiao Xie, Qin Peng, Guangmei Cao, Zewen Wu, Lingling Xie, Shenggui Ma, Hui Shi, and Xia Jiang, “Oxygen Vacancy-Rich TiO2-Supported Single-Atom Ru Catalysts for Stable and Selective Demethoxylation of Lignin-Derived Phenolic Monomers,” ACS Catalysis 15(21), 18438–18449 (2025); online 7 November 2025. DOI · Publisher article · Publisher PDF record. Abstract/PDF search record and institutional author record assessed; full paper text/methods not retrieved.

Why care. It combines mesoporous support architecture, oxygen-vacancy anchoring and 0.05 wt% isolated Ru. It targets preservation of the aromatic ring while removing methoxy oxygen, so it is relevant where phenols/aromatics—not fully deoxygenated cycloalkanes—are the desired products.

Catalyst/support and conditions. In-situ-doped mesoporous TiO2 with abundant vacancies, modified with 0.05 wt% single-atom Ru (Ru0.05/m-TiO2). Guaiacol HDO, >95% conversion and >95% demethoxylation selectivity. The abstract states catalyst identity retained after 10 cycles under 300 °C, 2 MPa H2; whether these are reaction conditions for each cycle and the solvent/time/catalyst/feed ratio are not accessible. Full loading/preparation specifics and comparator composition are not accessible in the retrieved text.

Evidence and limitation. Authors propose Ru–Ov–Ti sites involving coordinatively unsaturated Ti; abstract says isolated Ru remains stabilized after cycling. Do not describe >95% demethoxylation selectivity as >95% overall oxygen removal or as hydrocarbon yield. The decisive comparison is needed between Ru on vacancy-rich and vacancy-poor mesoporous TiO2 at equal Ru loading and measured site density. 10 minutes: abstract → catalyst characterization/atomically dispersed Ru evidence → product definitions and selectivity table → 10-cycle data. Deeper: SI vacancy quantification, microscopy/spectroscopy after cycling, and substrate scope.

5) Ni/CeO2 interface for phenol-oriented guaiacol conversion

Citation and access. Bingbing Qiu, Xingkai Zhai, Weiyao Cao, and Huaqiang Chu, “Interfacial Strong Metal–Support Interaction over Ni/CeO2 for Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol to Phenols,” ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 14(42), 19396–19406 (2026), published online 13 October 2026 (issue date 26 October). DOI · Publisher article. Publisher lists SI Table S1. Abstract and SI listing assessed only; article marked available to purchase.

Why care. It is the newest result in this run and deliberately targets phenols rather than fully deoxygenated hydrocarbons. It combines a reducible oxide/interface with a liquid hydrogen-donor mixture, making it a useful pathway-selectivity lead but not a direct H2-only benchmark.

Catalyst/support. Ni/CeO2 prepared by combined hydrothermal and pyrolysis methods. Authors invoke metallic Ni, oxygen vacancies and surface acid sites as synergistic contributors. Water–glycerol is the in-situ hydrogen donor. The abstract does not provide Ni loading, CeO2 phase/morphology, exact preparation/activation conditions, glycerol fraction, or a matched unmodified support control; those are not accessible.

Performance and limits. Guaiacol conversion is 56.71% at 280 °C and 6 h; conversion remains near 50% after four consecutive uses. Hydrogen pressure/external H2, solvent mixture ratio, catalyst/feed ratio, phenol selectivity/yield, rate and carbon balance were not present in the accessible abstract. Thus the product target is indicated by title but the numerical phenol selectivity cannot be stated. The reported recycling metric is conversion, not stability of selectivity or intrinsic activity.

Read route / next test. 10 minutes: abstract → support/interface synthesis → product distribution table and SI Table S1 → cycle data. Deeper: compare water:glycerol controls and H2-pressure controls, verify mass/carbon balance, and quantify phenol/other oxygenates. The central experiment is an identical catalyst with vacancy/acid functions selectively perturbed and hydrogen donor composition controlled, with time courses and product yields rather than conversion alone.

Older context worth keeping on the reading list

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