Peter Ford is collaborating with center members on projects concerned with the catalytic conversion of lignin and lignocellulose solids to chemical precursors. One approach is reductive, using heterogeneous, nanoparticle and homogeneous copper catalysts to probe the disassembly of lignin and other biomass polymers in supercritical methanol. The other is concerned with biomimetic models for oxidative cleavage of lignins.