Low-temperature hydrodeoxygenation of lignin-derived oils to jet-range cycloalkanes over electron-rich Pt nanocatalysts

Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) is pivotal for upgrading lignin-derived streams into drop-in aviation fuels. Efficient aryl C–O bond cleavage with complete deoxygenation typically requires harsh conditions. Here we report electron-rich Pt nanocatalysts that convert lignin-derived model compounds and lignin oil to jet-range cycloalkanes under notably mild conditions (100 °C, 10 % H 2 /Ar at 0.5 MPa). Alkyl cyclohexanes are obtained in 95.2 % yield from a representative model substrate and 90.5 % from lignin oil. Time-resolved profiling and cascade-kinetics analysis indicate that aryl C–O bond scission is the rate‑determining step. Differential charge density and reaction free‑energy analyses support that increasing electron density on Pt promotes H* activation and lowers the free‑energy change (ΔG) for C–O cleavage, consistent with the enhanced activity. The catalysts exhibit broad substrate scope and reusability. This work provides a practical low-temperature route and an electronic-structure design principle for energy-efficient upgrading of lignin-derived oils to jet-range cycloalkanes.