Lignins were isolated and purified from alkali treated prehydrolysate of corn stover. The paper presents the structural features of lignins in a series purification processes. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-vis spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were used to analyze the chemical structure. Thermogravimetric analysis was applied to follow the thermal degradation, and wet chemical method was used to determine the sugar content. The results showed that the crude lignin from the prehydrolysate of corn stover was a heterogeneous material of syringyl, guaiacyl and p-hydroxyphenyl units, containing associated polysaccharides, lipids, and melted salts. Some of the crude lignin was chemically linked to hemicelluloses (mainly xylan). The lipids in crude lignin were probably composed of saturated and/or unsaturated long carbon chains, fatty acids, triterpenols, waxes, and derivatives of aromatic. The sugar content of purified lignin was less than 2.11%, mainly composed of guaiacyl units. DTG(max) of purified lignin was 359 degrees C. The majority of the hydroxyl groups were phenolic hydroxyl groups. The main type of linkages in purified lignin was beta-O-4. Other types of linkages included beta-5, beta-beta and alpha-O-4.