New Methodology of Organic Electrochemical Synthesis - Fundamentals and Applications of Organic Electrochemistry - page 309

electrochemical transformation processes of
biomass have also been developed, for example
paired electrosynthesis of furfuryl alcohol and
2-furancarboxylic acid from furfural derived
from hemicellulose, and electrosynthesis of
acetone, 2-butene and methylethyl ketone from
2,3-butanediol, which is readily available
through fermentation of glucose and xylose
[12].
Furthermore, anodic oxidative conversion of
lignin to small molecules has been attempted,
and aromatic compounds like vanillin obtained
[13]. Waldvogel and BASF developed a process
for the electrochemical degradation of lignin at
a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode in an
aqueous solution to produce
hydroxybenzaldehyde derivatives like vanillin
and/or phenol derivatives in higher than 5%
yield by weight [14]. Quite recently, oxidation of
lignosulfonic acid at silver or nickel anode in an
aqueous alkaline solution using a flow-type cell
has been investigated in order to increase the
selectivity and yields of useful compounds like
vanillin, vanillic acid and guaiacol (Schmitt and
Waldvogel, unpublished).
Efficient use of biomass should be increasingly
important in the world, and electrolysis is
expected to be a powerful tool to achieve this
beneficial utilization of natural resources.