Identification of marker compounds in pyrolysis–GC/MS of various acetylated wood types

Six different types of acetylated softwoods and hardwoods were analyzed with pyrolysis–GC/MS and compared to untreated reference samples. It was shown that besides the dominant but unspecific cleavage of acetic acid several marker compounds, such as acetylated lignin monomers and acetylated furan derivatives were released under pyrolysis conditions. Structural assignment was supported by the generation of deuterated acetyl moieties, which was accomplished by acetylation of wood with deuterated acetic anhydride. Pyrolysis products of acetylated biomass have so far been only scarcely described in literature but can very well be used to trace modified wood even in complex composites.