Sandia researchers produce muconic acid and pyrogallol from lignin

In California, Sandia National Laboratories-led team has demonstrated faster, more efficient ways to turn discarded plant matter into chemicals worth billions. The team’s findings could help transform the economics of making fuels and other products from domestically grown renewable sources.
The team’s first new conversion method is a multi-stage process that begins by pre-treating lignin with a weak solution of hydrogen peroxide and water. Intermediary molecules vanillin and syringate result from the treatment.

A strain of E. coli specially modified by a Sandia microbiologist then consumes these middle-stage compounds, several additional compounds emerge in the mix, and ultimately the process results in muconic acid and pyrogallol.