LAUSR

Abstract Lignin has been widely named as a sustainable and renewable bioresource of energy, fuels, chemicals and materials, particularly phenolic chemicals production on Earth. These bio-derived compounds are in great potential need of biorefinery to valorize complete plant biomass. Lignin depolymerization showed a great promise approach to convert into low molecular aromatic products. In this report, high molecular weight (54,000 Da) lignin depolymerization into maximum yields (87%), (≥ 95 ± 6% mass balance) using a formic acid along with dual (– SO 3 H ) functionalized imidazole-based recyclable (4 times) Brønsted acidic ionic liquids (BAILs) as catalysts have been investigated in H 2 O–CH 3 OH (1:5, v/v ) at 120 °C for 1 h. The structural correlations between the lignin and aromatic products were studied by bulk (CHNS, GPC, etc.) and molecular (UV–Vis, FT-IR, NMR (1D/2D) levels experimental techniques. Additionally, the identification of aromatic products was carried out by applying HPLC, GC and GC–MS techniques. Graphic Abstract Addition of a formic acid into Brønsted acidic ionic liquids improved the catalytic efficiency significantly for lignin depolymerization into 87% low molecular weight aromatic products.