Simultaneous Oxidative Cleavage of Lignin and Reduction of Furfural via Efficient Electrocatalysis by P-doped CoMoO 4 .

Electrochemical oxidative lignin cleavage and coupled 2-furaldehyde reduction provide a promising approach for producing high-value added products. However, developing efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts with noble metal-like activity still remains a challenge. Here, we report an efficient electrochemical strategy for the selective oxidative cleavage of C α -C β bonds in lignin into aromatic monomers by tailoring the electronic structure through P-doped CoMoO 4 spinels (99% conversion, highest monomer selectivity of 56%). Additionally, the conversion and selectivity of 2-furaldehyde reduction to 2-methyl furan reached 87% and 73%, respectively. The in situ Fourier transform infrared and density functional theory analysis revealed that an upward shift of the E d upon P-doping led to an increase in the antibonding level, which facilitated the C α -C β adsorption of the lignin model compounds, thereby enhancing the bifunctional electrocatalytic activity of the active site. This work explored the potential of a spinel as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for the oxidative cracking of lignin and the reductive conversion of small organic molecules to high-value added chemicals via P anion modulation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.