CoMo sulfide-catalyzed hydrodeoxygenation of lignin model compounds: An extended reaction network for the conversion of monomeric and dimeric substrates

► Extensive study of aromatic oxygenates allowed elucidation of the HDO reaction pathway. ► Hydrodeoxygenation competes with O-demethylation, hydrogenation, and ring methylation. ► CoMo-catalyzed HDO of a library of substrates results nonetheless mainly in phenolics production. ► Abundant lignin-ether linkages are readily cleaved under HDO conditions.