Aromatic ring cleavage of β- O-4 lignin model dimers without prior demeth(ox)ylation by lignin peroxidase

Abstract

Methyl oxalate of arylglycerol was formed as an aromatic ring cleavage product in degradation of arylglycerol-β-aryl ether (β- O-4) type lignin substructure model dimers by extracellular lignin peroxidase of Phanerochaete chrysosporium. The enzymatic cleavage of arylglycerol-β-( o-[ 2H 3]methoxyphenyl) ether indicated that the methyl group of the methyl ester was derived from the methoxy group of the β- O-4 model dimer. It is thus concluded that demeth(ox)ylation was not essential for the enzymatic aromatic ring cleavage of the methoxylated aromatic substrates, β- O-4 lignin substructure models.