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<p dir="ltr">Partial methane oxidation (PMO) to methanol is a desirable route for upgrading natural and shale gas resources to liquid chemical intermediates and has been extensively studied on Cu-zeolites. Prior work has studied the stoichiometric PMO reaction on O₂-activated Cu-zeolites, leading to several proposals for candidate O_x-bridged Cu active site structures. More recent studies have investigated the catalytic PMO reaction and have reported that Cu-chabazite (CHA) zeolites tend to exhibit the highest methane oxidation rate (per Cu) among other Cu-zeolite topologies. Multiple studies have reported that decreasing the Cu site density and increasing the framework Al density increase the selectivity towards methanol, but have proposed different mechanistic explanations. Here, we study the influence of Cu active site distribution, which was altered by varying the extraframework Cu site density and the arrangement of framework Al atoms, on the kinetic parameters governing continuous PMO. The number of redox active Cu species was quantified through linear combination fitting of XANES spectra collected under <i>in situ</i> and transient conditions after reactant (O₂) cut-off, and the Cu speciation was investigated with XAS. Total methane oxidation rates and individual product formation rates (CH₃OH, CO, CO₂), normalized per total Cu, increased with Cu density because this influenced the speciation of Cu formed during the reaction. All Cu-CHA samples showed PMO rates that were nearly first-order in CH₄ pressure, consistent with prior reports that C-H activation in CH₄ is the rate limiting step. Samples with differing framework Al arrangement, but fixed extraframework Cu density, showed formation rates of over-oxidation products (e.g., CO₂) that had different apparent reaction orders in O₂, implying differences in the Cu active sites formed during reaction. Changes to Cu oxidation states were monitored with <i>in situ</i> XAS. Samples were first subjected to an oxidative pretreatment (723 K, 5 kPa O₂) and then to catalytic PMO conditions to reach steady-state. Steady-state XANES spectra collected after O₂ was removed from the reactant stream showed the expected reduction from Cu(II) to Cu(I), and the fraction of CH₄-reducible Cu(II) sites decreased with increasing Cu content; increasing the CH₄ pressure ten-fold increased the number of CH₄-reducible sites by a factor of ~1.5. These spectroscopic and kinetic observations suggest there are a mixture of Cu site types that are present during catalysis, each with different intrinsic reactivity toward CH₄ and selectivity to CH₃OH. To rationalize these observations, a reaction mechanism is proposed for a two-site model and used to derive rate expressions that describe apparent reaction orders for the total CH₄ oxidation rate and product formation rates on Cu-CHA zeolites of varying Cu content.</p><p dir="ltr">Additional routes for CH₄ activation include partial CH₄ oxidation over Fe zeolites that convert CH₄ at ambient temperature following an activation in nitrous oxide (N₂O), or through CH₄ dehydroaromatization (DHA) to benzene over Mo zeolites under non-oxidative conditions. Prior work on PMO over Fe-zeolites has identified candidate active site structures, but the influence of zeolite structural properties on ion-exchanged Fe speciation remains unclear. This work sought to understand the interaction of Fe with the zeolite framework during solvent-assisted deposition procedures and subsequent thermal treatments. In pursuit of this objective, Fe uptake isotherms were measured, and Fe speciation was characterized with UV-Vis spectroscopy and H₂ temperature programmed reduction (H₂ TPR). Increased framework Al site pairing increased the uptake of Fe in CHA zeolites, and high temperature treatments (723 K) resulted in the formation of oligomeric Fe structures as indicated by UV-vis. In CH₄ DHA over Mo-MFI, a principal challenge is the irreversible loss of catalytic reactivity with repeated reaction-regeneration cycles, attributed to dealumination of the zeolite structure during high-temperature oxidative regeneration treatments that produce steam. CHA zeolites are known to be more resistant to dealumination than MFI, but its smaller pore structure prevents diffusion of benzene and other aromatic products leading to rapid coking. This work attempted to address the diffusion limitations for benzene in Mo-CHA by synthesizing crystals with nanoscale dimensions by incorporating a surfactant into the crystallization procedure, generating solids with a flake-like morphology.</p><p dir="ltr">The overarching strategy in this work was to influence the speciation of metal sites and complexes in zeolites by controlling the density and arrangement of anionic Al anchoring sites within the framework and the density of extraframework metal species. In the case of Cu-zeolites, the amount of Cu present on the material influences the structures that form during catalysis that influences both the rate and selectivity of catalytic PMO.</p>

En aquesta tesi s'han estudiat mecanismes de reaccions de cicloanulació en carbens de Fischer a través de mètodes teòrics, concretament fent servir el nivell de teoria B3LYP/(Wachters' basis / 6-31G**). Els alcoxi- i amino carbens de pentacarbonil crom, ja siguin vinílics o aromàtics, reaccionen amb acetilè per produir fenols, naftols o derivats ciclopentadiè o indè substituïts amb el Cr(CO)3 coordinat, d'una manera regioselectiva. L'objectiu d'aquest treball és discutir ambudes reaccions competitives particularment a la reacció de Dötz, la qual durant els darrers anys ha estat explorada experimentalment per W.D. Wulff, C.P. Casey, R. Aumann i J. Barluenga entre altres diferents propostes mecanístiques. A més K.H. Dötz va demostrar que la coordinació del Cr(CO)3, un cop l'anell ja està format, pot patir canvis haptotròpics, és a dir, la caminada del complex metàl·lic d'un anell a un altre -generalment almenys substituït- canviant la seva hapticitat (coordinació pi amb els membres de l'anell). Llavors, s'han estudiat les migracions haptotròpiques intramoleculars en petits hidrocarbons aromàtics policíclics amb l'objectiu d'analitzar les rutes de reacció per les quals aquestes reaccions es porten a terme

Die Reaktionspfade und Reaktionsdynamik photoinduzierter bimolekularer Ladungstransferreaktionen werden mit Hilfe der ultraschnellen polarisationsabhängigen UV-Pump/IR-Probe-Spektroskopie charakterisiert. Allgemein akzeptierte Modelle zur Beschreibung von bimolekularen Elektrontranserreaktionen nehmen an, dass Ladungstrennung in polaren Lösungsmitteln zu zwei Arten von Ionenpaaren führt, den lockeren (LIPs) und den engen Ionenpaaren (TIPs). TIPs und LIPs können durch die Beobachtung von Schwingungsmoden spektroskopisch unterschieden werden. Allerdings deuten die multiplen Zeitskalen sowohl für die Bildung von TIPs als auch LIPs darauf hin, dass eine Unterscheidung in zwei Arten von Ionenpaaren mit definierter Geometrie eine erhebliche Vereinfachung ist. TIPs und LIPs sind vielmehr als Grenzfälle zu betrachten, zwischen derer eine kontinuierliche Verteilung verschiedener Ionenpaare existiert. Die Natur der Ionenpaare wird durch die Verteilung der neutralen Reaktionspaare vor Initiation der Reaktion bestimmt. Außerdem wird gezeigt, dass TIPs höchst anisotrop sind. Die Wichtigkeit der beidseitigen Orientierung der Reaktanten wird dabei offengelegt. Weiterhin wird erstmalig ein femtosekundenspektroskopischer Beweis für die Existenz von Kohlensäure in wäßriger Lösung präsentiert. Eine Photosäure wurde verwendet, um die ultraschnelle Protonierung von Bikarbonat optisch auszulösen. Kohlensäure wurde bisher als Feststoff in Eismatrizen und in der Gasphase detektiert. Da Kohlensäure als Intermediat zwischen Kohlenstoffdioxid und Bikarbonat postuliert wird, ist ihre Charakterisierung von immenser Bedeutung für das Verständnis grundlegender Säure-Base Chemie von Karbonaten in wäßriger Lösung. Die Analyse der zeitabhängigen Signale unter Verwendung eines theoretischen Modells erlaubt die Bestimmung der bimolekularen Reaktionsdynamik. Dies ermöglicht einen Einblick in die Säure-Base Chemie von Kohlensäure. / The reaction pathways and dynamics of photoinduced bimolecular charge transfer reactions are characterised with ultrafast polarisation-sensitive UV-pump/IR-probe-spectroscopy. Generally accepted models for bimolecular electron transfer reactions suppose that charge separation in polar solvents leads to two geminate ion pairs, namely loose (LIPs) and tight ion pairs (TIPs). By monitoring vibrational marker modes TIPs and LIPs can be distinguished spectroscopically. However, multiple time scales for the formation of TIPs and LIPs indicate that a distinction between two kinds of ion pairs with well-defined geometries is a considerable simplification. TIPs and LIPs should rather be regarded as limiting cases, as there is a continuous distribution of different ion pairs between these two limits. The crucial parameter governing the nature of the ion pairs is the distribution of neutral reaction pairs subsequent to initiation of the reaction. Furthermore, TIPs are found to be highly anisotropic, revealing the importance of mutual orientation of the reactants. This thesis also presents for the first time femtosecond infrared spectroscopic results proving the existence of carbonic acid in aqueous solution. A photoacid is used to optically trigger the ultrafast protonation of bicarbonate. Carbonic acid has only been detected as solid existing in ice matrices and in the gas phase, so far. Because carbonic acid is often postulated as intermediate between carbon dioxide and bicarbonate its characterisation is of substantial support in understanding fundamental acid-base chemistry of carbonates in aqueous solution as well as in biophysical situations. Analysing the time-dependent signals using a theoretical model to describe bimolecular reaction dynamics an on-contact proton transfer reaction rate is derived. This gives an insight into the acid-base chemistry of carbonic acid.

Abstract Zur Modellierung einer Oxidoberfläche wurden p-tert-Butylcalix[4]aren (H4CA[4]), Dimethyl-p-tert-butylcalix[4]aren (H2Me2CA[4]), p-tert-Butylcalix[8]aren (H8CA[8]) und p-tert-Butylthiacalix[4]aren (H4TC) eingesetzt. Es gelang die Synthese von unterschiedlichen mono- und dinuklearen, geladenen und ungeladenen Oxovanadium(V)-verbindungen. Die Verbindungen [CA[4]V=O]- (4), [AcOCA[4]V=O] (5), [HCA[8](V=O)2]- (6), [Me2CA[4](µ-O)(V(O)OMe)2] (7), [CA[8](µ3-O)2V4O4] (8a/8c), [(H2TC)VOCl2]- (9) und [{(H2TC)V(O)(µ2-O)}2]2- (10) wurden als Katalysatoren für die Oxidation von Alkoholen in Gegenwart von Sauerstoff getestet. Die dinuklearen Komplexe 6 und 7 katalysieren die Oxidation von 1-Phenyl-1-propargylalkohol und Fluorenol effizient. Des Weiteren stellten die beiden Thiacalixarenkomplexe 9 und 10 in den meisten untersuchten Fällen bessere Katalysatoren dar als die Oxovanadiumkomplexe, die die „klassischen“ Calixarene als Liganden enthalten. Der dinukleare Komplex 10 zeigte eine höhere Aktivität als der mononukleare Thiacalixarenkomplex 9. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass 9 als Präkatalysator wirkt und in die aktive Spezies [TCV=O]- (11) umgewandelt wird. Auf Basis der Isolierung von [(TC)2V]- (12) und kinetischen Untersuchungen konnte ein möglicher Reaktionsmechanismus formuliert werden. Um die Reaktionsmechanismen für ausgewählte Systeme aufzuklären, wurde die Isolierung von Reaktionsintermediaten angestrebt. Aus der Umsetzung von Fluorenol mit 10 in Abwesenheit von Sauerstoff konnte das Intermediat [{(H2TC)V(O)}2(µ2-OH)(µ2-OC13H9)]2- (13), isoliert und vollständig charakterisiert werden. Unter Einbeziehung der Ergebnisse von Untersuchungen zur Reaktivität von 13 konnte ein plausibler Mechanismus für einen Katalysezyklus vorgeschlagen werden, nach welchem der Oxidationsprozess an den verbrückenden Oxoliganden stattfindet und die beiden Vanadiumzentren der Verbindung während der Reaktion kooperieren. Oxovanadium Komplexe, Calix aren Komplexe, Oxidationskatalysator, Alkoholoxidation, Reaktionsmechanismen / Abstract For Modelling an oxosurface p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene (H4CA[4]), dimethyl p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene (H2Me2CA[4]), p-tert-butylcalix[8]arene (H8CA[8]) and p-tert-butylthiacalix[4]arene (H4TC) have been used. Different mono- and dinuclear, charged and uncharged oxovanadium(V) compounds have been synthesized. The compounds [CA[4]V=O]- (4), [AcOCA[4]V=O] (5), [HCA[8](V=O)2]- (6), [Me2CA[4](µ-O)(V(O)OMe)2] (7), [CA[8](µ3-O)2V4O4] (8a/8c), [(H2TC)VOCl2]- (9) and [{(H2TC)V(O)(µ2-O)}2]2- (10) were tested as catalysts for the oxidation of alcohols in the presence of dioxygene. The dinuclear complexes 6 and 7 efficiently catalyse the oxidation of 1-Phenyl-1-propargylic alcohol and fluorenol. Furthermore, the two thiacalixarene complexes in most cases demonstrated to be better catalysts than the oxovanadium(V) complexes with classic calixarenes as ligands. With regard to the thiacalixarene complexes 9 and 10, the dinuclear complex 10 showed a higher activity compared to the mononuclear complex 9. Further investigations showed, that 9 is a precatalyst for the active species [TCV=O]- (11). On the basis of the isolation of [(TC)2V]- (12) and kinetic investigations a possible reaction mechanism for the oxidation of alcohols could be suggested. In order to clarify the reaction mechanisms for selected systems the isolation of reaction intermediates was pursued. The reaction of fluorenol and 10 in the absence of O2 led to the isolation of the reaction intermediate [{(H2TC)V(O)}2(µ2-OH)(µ2-OC13H9)]2- (13), which was completely characterised. Including the results of investigations concerning the reactivity of 13 a mechanism for a plausible catalysis cycle was proposed. Accordingly the oxidation reaction is centered at the bridging oxoligands, while the two vanadium atoms cooperate during the reaction.

O desenvolvimento desta tese foi direcionado ao estudo da química iônica, em fase gasosa, de alguns compostos organo-metálicos, como: Ge(OEt)4, Ti(i-Pro)4, BU3SnOMe, GeE4, GeMe4, SiMe4 e Me6Si2NH. Foram abordados vários aspectos da química iônica destes compostos desde o estudo dos seus processos de fragmentação, a reatividade de cátions e ânions derivados destes compostos, a fotodisssociação de espécies hipervalentes formadas a partir de reações de adição, e por último foram obtidos dados sobre a afinidade protônica de ânions derivados de germânio. Além disto, foram promovidas outras investigações experimentais destinadas á obtenção de informações sobre a estrutura de espécies hipervalentes e a análise de substâncias químicas desconhecidas contendo átomos de Ge. Os resultados obtidos em algumas investigações são conclusivos, e por isto em alguns casos não foi criada uma seção voltada exclusivamente para as conclusões. Mesmo assim, algumas observações podem ser destacadas. De modo geral, os alcóxidos metálicos reagem com íon fluoreto através de reações de adição-eliminação formando complexos pentacoordenados, que no caso dos derivados de germânio e titânio, absorvem radiação infravermelha de um laser de CO2, e por absorção multifotônica promovem sucessivos processos de eliminação de espécies neutras simples. O mesmo comportamento não é observado nas alquilas metálicas. Os cátions derivados destes compostos são poderosos ácidos de Lewis, e sofrem reações de adição-eliminação com diversos substratos neutros, do tipo base de Lewis. O mais surpreendente foi à observação de reações de abstração de ligantes como CH3- por alguns destes cátions, e a subseqüente formação, em alguns casos, de espécies formadas através de reações de troca de ligantes. A afinidade protônica de alguns ânions formados através da fotodissociação de espécies hipervalentes, derivadas de germânio, foi obtida por meio de reações de abstração de prótons com substratos de afinidade protônica conhecida. Foi possível caracterizar a acidez dos ácidos conjugados destes ánions como sendo próxima a das mercaptanas. / The present thesis describes the study of the gas-phase ion chemistry of a number of organometallic compounds such as Ge(OEt)4, Ti(i-Pro)4, BU3SnOMe, GeE4, GeMe4, SiMe4 and Me6Si2NH. Several aspects of the ion chemistry of these compounds were investigated including fragmentation processes in their mass spectra, reactivity of cations and anions obtained from these compounds by electron ionization, photodissociation of hypervalent species formed by nucleophilic addition, and the proton affinity of a number of germanium-containing anions. Additional experimental investigations were carried out to characterize the structure of hypervalent studies and to explore analytical applications of unknown germanium-containing substrates. The results in several cases are sufficiently conclusive such that a general section of conclusions was considered unnecessary. For example, the metal alkoxides studied in this work react with fluoride ion in the gas-phase by an addition-elimination mechanism that initially results in the formation of a pentacoordinated species. The germanium and titanium pentacoordinated species absorb readily infrared radiation from a CO2 laser and undergo successive elimination of sim pie neturals by sequential mutiphoton absorption. This behavior is not observed for the metal alkyls. Cations derived from these compounds are powerful Lewis acids and are capable of promoting addition-elimination reactions with several neutral substrates that can act as Lewis bases. The most surprising reactions have been the abstraction of methide (formally a CH3- ion) by some of these cations followed, in the case of some Si- and Ge-containing ions, by a ligand exchange reaction. The proton affinity of Ge-containing anions obtained from the photodissociation of hypervalent precursors was established using the bracketing technique by studying the proton abstraction reaction with a number of substrates of well-known proton affinities. The absolute values derived for the proton affinities of these species, and the corresponding gas-phase acidities of the conjugate acids are close to the values of similar mercaptans.

L'objectif principal du travail effectué au cours de cette thèse était de développer, caractériser et analyser des matériaux originaux pour des réactions d'oxydation photosensibilisée. Une attention particulière a été accordée à la détermination des propriétés photophysiques des sensibilisateurs (PSs) et à l'effet induit par l'immobilisation sur un support inerte (silice). Les espèces réactives formées lors de l'irradiation ont été identifiées et analysées. La production d'oxygène singulet a été suivie par deux méthodes complémentaires. Les sensibilisateurs supportés ont été employés, sous la forme de monolithes ou de poudres, pour la photo-oxydation du diméthyl sulfure à l'interface gaz-solide et de l’-terpinène à l'interface liquide-solide. L'oxygène singulet est la principale espèce réactive de l’oxygène formée par les PSs sélectionnés; néanmoins, les produits de réaction ont été analysés afin de mettre en évidence d’autres mécanismes. / The main aim of the work carried out during this PhD project was to develop, characterize and analyze original materials for photosensitized oxidation reactions. Particular attention was paid to the determination of the photophysical properties of the selected photosensitizers (PSs) and the effect induced by the immobilization on an inert support (silica). The reactive species formed upon irradiation were identified and analyzed. Singlet oxygen production was monitored by two complementary methods. The solid-supported sensitizers were employed, in the form of either monoliths or powders, for the photooxidation of dimethyl sulfide at the gas-solid interface and of -terpinene at the liquid-solid interface. Singlet oxygen was the main reactive oxygen species formed by the selected PSs; nonetheless, the reaction products were analyzed and other possible mechanistic scenarios investigated.

The objective of this work is to evaluate the reaction initiation characteristics of quasi-statically compressed intermetallic-forming aluminum-based reactive materials upon impact initiation, consisting of equi-volumetric tantalum-aluminum, tungsten-aluminum, nickel-aluminum, and pure aluminum. A modified Taylor rod-on-anvil setup was employed to determine the reaction initiation threshold kinetic energy and actual energy for plastic deformation and subsequent reaction. Experimental sample remnants were recovered and examined through X-ray diffraction to determine reaction products.The overall results indicate that of the various intermetallic-forming systems investigated, Ta+Al was the most reactive and was the only system where any reaction products were retrieved. While all of the intermetallic systems reacted in air, only Ta+Al and W+Al reacted in vacuum environment suggesting differences in reaction mechanisms influencing the reactivity of intermetallic mixtures. Based on the threshold energy for onset of reaction it appears that the Ta-Al compacts show reaction conditions below those required for reaction of Al in air. This combined with the fact that Ta+Al compacts also react in vacuum implies that the Ta+Al undergoes anaerobic intermetallic reaction while the other systems react with the oxidation of Al. The effect of compact packing density on the kinetic energy threshold for reaction initiation were also evaluated. It was observed more densely packed Ta+Al and Ni+Al powder compacts react more easily than less densely packed samples. While the effect of packing density is not as obvious in the case of pure Al and W+Al powder compacts. Finally, a particle size effect is seen on Ni+Al on samples of < 92% density where coarser (+325 -200 mesh) equal-volumetric powder mixtures were observed to be more reactive than finer Ni+Al (-325 mesh).

This thesis describes novel reaction protocols for the synthesis of diaryliodonium salts and also provides an insight to the mechanism of α-arylation of carbonyl compounds with diaryliodonium salts.  The first chapter gives a general introduction to the field of hypervalent iodine chemistry, mainly focusing on recent developments and applications of diaryliodonium salts. Chapter two describes the synthesis of electron-rich to electron-poor diaryliodonium triflates, in moderate to excellent yields from a range of arenes and iodoarenes. In chapter three, it is described that molecular iodine can be used together with arenes in a direct one-pot, three-step synthesis of symmetric diaryliodonium triflates. A large scale synthesis of bis(4-tert-butylphenyl)iodonium triflate is also described, controlled and verified by an external research group, further demonstrating the reliability of this methodology. The fourth chapter describes the development of a sequential one-pot synthesis of diaryliodonium salts from aryl iodides and boronic acids, furnishing symmetric and unsymmetric, electron-rich to electron-poor diaryliodonium tetrafluoroborates in moderate to excellent yields. This method was developed to overcome the regiochemical limitations imposed by the reaction mechanism in the protocols described in the preceding chapters. Chapter five describes a one-pot synthesis of heteroaromatic iodonium salts under similar conditions described in chapter two. The final chapter describes the reaction of enolates with chiral diaryliodonium salts or together with a phase transfer catalyst yielding racemic products. DFT calculations were performed, which revealed a low lying energy transition state (TS) between intermediates, which is believed to be responsible for the lack of selectivity observed in the experimental work. It is also proposed that a [2,3] rearrangement is preferred over a [1,2] rearrangement in the α-arylation of carbonyl compounds. The synthetic methodology described in this thesis is the most generally applicable, efficient and high-yielding to date for the synthesis of diaryliodonium salts, making these reagents readily available for various applications in synthesis.

L’objectif des travaux est de mieux comprendre durant la torréfaction de différentes biomasses l’évolution chimique à la fois des phases solide et gaz. Des expériences de torréfaction ont été menées selon un profil de température dynamique entre 200 et 300°C, sous atmosphère inerte, sur du pin, du frêne, du miscanthus et de la paille de blé. La perte de masse et la formation des espèces condensables ont été analysées par ATG-GCMS, et l’évolution chimique de la phase solide par RMN du solide 13C CP/MAS. Trente espèces condensables ont été détectées ; la moitié a été formée dans l’ensemble de la gamme de température explorée et un tiers l’a été par toutes les biomasses. Les principaux phénomènes qui semblent associés à la dégradation du solide sont la décristallisation de la cellulose, une sévère dégradation de l’hémicellulose, la dévolatilisation des groupes acétyles, la conservation des groupes méthoxys et la formation d’un résidu solide. Il a été par ailleurs montré que perte de masse et évolution chimique du solide n’étaient pas directement corrélées pour différentes biomasses. A partir de ces résultats expérimentaux, un modèle conceptuel a été développé pour décrire la dégradation de la biomasse. Trente réactions ont été associées aux trois constituants macromoléculaires principaux que sont la cellulose, l’hémicellulose et la lignine, respectivement représentées par deux sucres en C5 et C6 et par trois unités detype H, G et S. Ce modèle présente l’originalité de s’appuyer sur une description détaillée de ces deux derniers constituants et de prévoir la formation de seize espèces condensables, cinq gaz permanents et six formes de char solide, grâce à des réactions ayant un sens chimique et équilibrées d’un point de vue stoechiométrique. / The objective of the present work is to better understand chemical evolution of both solid and gaseous phases during torrefaction of various biomasses. Torrefaction experiments were carried out with a dynamic profile of temperatures between 200 and 300°C, under inert atmosphere, for pine, ash-wood, miscanthus and wheat straw. Mass loss and formation of condensable species were analyzed by TGA-GC-MS, and chemical evolution of solid phase was characterized by 13C CP/MAS solid-state NMR. Thirty condensable species could be detected; a half of these species were formed during the whole temperature range, and a third were formed by all biomass types. The main phenomena that occurred in solid phase were found to be decrystallization of cellulose, severe degradation of hemicellulose, devolatilization of acetyl groups, conservation of methoxyl groups and charring. It was also found that mass loss and chemical evolution of solid were not directly correlated for different biomasses. Based on the experimental results, a conceptual model was developed to describe biomass degradation duringtorrefaction. Thirty reactions were determined for the three major macromolecular constituents, namely cellulose, hemicellulose – represented by C5 and C6 sugars – and lignin – represented by H, G and S units. The main innovations of this model are in thedetailed approach of hemicellulose and lignin compositions, as well as in the prediction of sixteen condensable and five permanent species, and six forms of solid char, through chemically meaningful and stoichiometrically valid reactions.