biostudies-literatureWu XChina Scholarship CouncilEuropean Research CouncilDutch Research Council (NWO)Talent Schemee202200914https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9796232biostudies-literatureUnknown15(18)Cyclic primary amines are elementary building blocks to many fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and polymers. Here, a powerful one-pot Raney Ni-based catalytic strategy was developed to transform guaiacol into cyclohexylamine using NH₃ (7 bar) and H₂ (10 bar) in up to 94 % yield. The methodology was extendable to the conversion of a wider range of guaiacols and syringols into their corresponding cyclohexylamines. Notably, a crude bio-oil originating from the reductive catalytic fractionation of birch lignocellulose was transformed into a product mixture rich in 4-propylcyclohexylamine, constituting an interesting case of catalytic funneling. The isolated yield of the desired 4-propylcyclohexylamine reached as high as 7 wt % (on lignin basis). Preliminary mechanistic studies pointed at the consecutive occurrence of three key catalytic transformations, namely, demethoxylation, hydrogenation, and amination.ChemSusChemOne-Pot Catalytic Conversion of Lignin-Derivable Guaiacols and Syringols to Cyclohexylamines.PMC9796232201808330391875649638076723.015.005Barta KDe Bruyn MWu XfalseOne-Pot Catalytic Conversion of Lignin-Derivable Guaiacols and Syringols to Cyclohexylamines.Cyclic primary amines are elementary building blocks to many fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and polymers. Here, a powerful one-pot Raney Ni-based catalytic strategy was developed to transform guaiacol into cyclohexylamine using NH₃ (7 bar) and H₂ (10 bar) in up to 94 % yield. The methodology was extendable to the conversion of a wider range of guaiacols and syringols into their corresponding cyclohexylamines. Notably, a crude bio-oil originating from the reductive catalytic fractionation of birch lignocellulose was transformed into a product mixture rich in 4-propylcyclohexylamine, constituting an interesting case of catalytic funneling. The isolated yield of the desired 4-propylcyclohexylamine reached as high as 7 wt % (on lignin basis). Preliminary mechanistic studies pointed at the consecutive occurrence of three key catalytic transformations, namely, demethoxylation, hydrogenation, and amination.2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Sep2025-04-21T15:22:43.965Z2025-04-21T15:22:43.965ZS-EPMC97962323587161010.1002/cssc.202200914