Quantitative trifluoromethylation of carbonyl-containing lignin model compounds

The efficient trifluoromethylation of a series of carbonyl-containing lignin model compounds was made possible by using Ruppert's reagent in the presence of tetramethylammonium fluoride (TMAF), followed by hydrolysis with aqueous HF. These studies demonstrate that such a method can quantitatively convert carbonyl groups to the CF3-containing compounds, thus qualifying the procedure as a potential analytical tool for the determination of carbonyl groups in lignins.