Studies on the Lignin of Eucalyptus regnans. III. The Isolation of an Alkali Lignin from Sulphate Pulping

Abstract

An alkali lignin containing no sulphur has been obtained as a by-product from the sulphate pulping of Eucalyptus regnans. Like other alkali lignins it contains hydroxyl groups, both acidic and alcoholic, as well as methoxyl groups. Acetic anhydride in pyridine yields an octoacetyl derivative which is readily hydrolysed by boiling water to a heptacetyl derivative. In pyridine, benzoyl chloride yields an octobenzoyl derivative while in aqueous alkali it yields a hexabenzoyl compound. Dimethyl sulphate yields a heptamethyl alkali lignin, diazomethane a hexamethyl derivative, while cold alkaline hydrolysis of the latter gives a pentamethyl derivative, and hot alkaline hydrolysis yields an anhydrotrimethyl alkali lignin. One of the methoxyl groups formed by methylation is unstable to acetylation by acetic anhydride in pyridine, heptamethyl alkali lignin yielding a hexamethyldiacetyl derivative, hexamethyl alkali lignin a pentamethyltriacetyl derivative, pentamethyl alkali lignin a tetramethyltetracetyl derivative, and anhydrotrimethyl alkali lignin the corresponding anhydrodimethyltetracetyl alkali lignin. Triphenylchloromethane in pyridine yields a monotrityl derivative.p-Nitrophenylhydrazine gives a di-p-nitrophenylhydrazone and phenylhydrazine a phenylhydrazone-osazone. Potentiometric titration shows two points of inflection and an equivalent weight of 863. The data are consistent with the empirical formula C₉₂H_l04O₃₄(1754) or C₇₃H₅₄O₉,(OCH₃)₁₄,(OH)₃,C(OH),CO-CH₂0H,C0,COOH