biostudies-literatureGuo TNational Natural Science Foundation of ChinaNational Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)6076https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10539282biostudies-literatureUnknown14(1)One-pot synthesis of heterocyclic aromatics with good optical properties from phenolic β-O-4 lignin segments is of high importance to meet high value added biorefinery demands. However, executing this process remains a huge challenge due to the incompatible reaction conditions of the depolymerization of lignin β-O-4 segments containing γ-OH functionalities and bioresource-based aggregation-induced emission luminogens (BioAIEgens) formation with the desired properties. In this work, benzannulation reactions starting from lignin β-O-4 moieties with 3-alkenylated indoles catalyzed by vanadium-based complexes have been successfully developed, affording a wide range of functionalized carbazoles with up to 92% yield. Experiments and density functional theory calculations suggest that the reactioNature communicationsTowards bioresource-based aggregation-induced emission luminogens from lignin β-O-4 motifs as renewable resources.PMC1053928222078317216010872210827222073066Cai XMZhang TPan DHuang GZhang XXu DKuhn FEGuo TLin YZhu WWang HZhang BfalseTowards bioresource-based aggregation-induced emission luminogens from lignin β-O-4 motifs as renewable resources.One-pot synthesis of heterocyclic aromatics with good optical properties from phenolic β-O-4 lignin segments is of high importance to meet high value added biorefinery demands. However, executing this process remains a huge challenge due to the incompatible reaction conditions of the depolymerization of lignin β-O-4 segments containing γ-OH functionalities and bioresource-based aggregation-induced emission luminogens (BioAIEgens) formation with the desired properties. In this work, benzannulation reactions starting from lignin β-O-4 moieties with 3-alkenylated indoles catalyzed by vanadium-based complexes have been successfully developed, affording a wide range of functionalized carbazoles with up to 92% yield. Experiments and density functional theory calculations suggest that the reactio2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Sep2025-04-04T18:35:57.502Z2025-04-04T18:35:57.502ZS-EPMC105392823777046210.1038/s41467-023-41681-0