Ozonolysis of lignin models in aqueous solution: anisole, 1,2-dimethoxybenzene, 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, and 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene.

The lignin models anisole, 1,2-dimethoxybenzene, 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, and 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene were reacted with ozone in aqueous solution, and major products were identified and quantified with respect to ozone consumption when reference material was available. Hydroxylation products in yields equivalent to those of singlet oxygen and muconic products (in analogy to the Criegee mechanism) dominate. The formation of quinones points to the release of methanol. Hydroxyl radicals (*OH, quantified, main precursor: O3*-), singlet oxygen (quantified), O2*- radicals (quantified), and as counterparts of the *OH radicals radical cations of these methoxybenzenes must each play an important role as intermediates. In the case of 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, for example, the following products were identified (yields in parentheses when quantified): methyl(2Z,4E-4-methoxy-6-oxo-hexa-2,4-dienoate 5 (52%), hydroquinone 6 (2%), 1,4-benzoquinone 7 (8%), 2,5-dimethoxyhydroquinone 8,2,5-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone 9, singlet oxygen (6%), hydrogen peroxide (56%), *OH (approximately 17%), O2*- (< or = 9%). Gibbs energies for the various potential reaction pathways were calculated with the help of the Jaguar 7.5 program.