Activated carbons obtained from organosolv lignin by chemical activation with KOH and oxidized with diluted HNO3 were studied as catalysts for aerobic oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) reactions. The structure/activity relationship was investigated through multiple techniques revealing the crucial role of oxygen functionality distribution in promoting two mechanistically archetypical ODH probe reactions: (i) the tetrahydroquinoline (THQ) aromatization, which represents ODH triggered by hydride transfer, and (ii) the 2-phenyl indole homocoupling reaction, a model for single-electron transfer-promoted reactions. In particular, the catalytic activity, correlating with oxygen functionality distribution on the basis of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and temperature-programmed desorption analysis, was associated with the C═O surface functionalities, as confirmed by blocking experiments with 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl hydrazine. Kinetic profiling tools were employed to assess THQ ODH product inhibition effects on the overall yield of the process as well as the extent of stoichiometric activity of the carbocatalyst. The breadth of the developed catalysts’ applicability was explored through selected relevant ODH reactions.
