Efficient cleavage of CO bonds in lignin and its models is of great importance for the production of value-added aromatic compounds. A simple TiO₂ photochemical approach was applied for β-O-4 ketone hydrogenolysis by an electron transfer photocatalytic reaction. The conversion of the substrate 2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl) ethanone was 89.8% in 30 min, with the yield of products 4-methoxy acetophenone of 75.2% and o-methoxyphenol of 98.9%. Compared to the selective hydrogenolysis role of TiO₂, Pd/TiO₂ catalyst prefers to simultaneously catalyzing the hydrogenative cleavage of CO ether bond and the hydrogenation of CO to CHOH.

木质素中的C O键及其模型的有效裂解对于增值芳烃化合物的生产非常重要。通过电子转移光催化反应，将一种简单的TiO ₂光化学方法应用于β-O-4酮的氢解反应。底物2-（2-甲氧基苯氧基）-1-（4-甲氧基苯基）乙酮在30分钟内的转化率为89.8％，产物4-甲氧基苯乙酮的产率为75.2％，邻甲氧基苯酚的产率为98.9％。与TiO ₂的选择性氢解作用相比，Pd / TiO ₂催化剂更倾向于同时催化C O醚键的氢化裂解和C O到CH OH的氢化。