Characteristics of Dioxane Lignins Isolated at Different Ages of Nalita Wood (Trema orientalis)

Abstract

Nalita (Trema orientalis) is one of the fastest growing trees in the tropical countries. The structural characteristics of lignin isolated at different ages of Nalita wood (Trema orientalis) by acidolytic dioxane method were examined by UV, FTIR, ¹H‐NMR and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy, alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation, molecular weight determination, elemental and methoxyl analysis. The data were compared with aspen lignin. The structural analysis revealed that Nalita wood lignin is syringyl‐guaiacyl type. The methoxyl content in Nalita wood lignin was lower than aspen lignin. The C₉ formulas for 30‐months‐old Nalita was C₉H_9.31O_3.13(OCH₃)_1.27, whereas that of aspen was C₉H_8.94O_3.15(OCH₃)_1.47. The weight average molecular weight of Nalita wood lignin was decreased from 36,500 to 25,500 with increasing tree age from 12 to 30 months, whereas weight average molecular weight of aspen was 20,000. Both alcoholic and phenolic hydroxyl group in Nalita wood lignin is lower than aspen lignin.

Keywords:

• Fast growing wood
• Trema orientalis
• syringyl unit
• guaiacyl unit
• β‐O‐4 structure
• erythro form

The authors thank the authority of Chonbuk National University for providing financial support from the postdoctoral fund to carry out this research. The authors are also grateful to Dr. Fujita for carrying out elemental analysis.