Patent · US Expired

Process for preparing .alpha.-hydroxy acids using microorganism and novel microorganism

US6037155A · kind A · utility

29Cited by
3References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 11, 1998
Grant dateMar 14, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 11, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S435/83
  • WIPO fieldBiotechnology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A process for preparing .alpha.-hydroxy acids represented by the general formula (II): RCH(OH)COOH (wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted C1-C6 alkyl group, an optionally substituted C2-C6 alkenyl group, an optionally substituted C1-C6 alkoxy group, an optionally substituted aryl group, an optionally substituted aryloxy group, or an optionally substituted heterocyclic group) by allowing a microorganism to act on .alpha.-hydroxy nitriles (I): RCH(OH)CN (wherein R is as defined above) to hydrolyze and convert the .alpha.-hydroxy nitrites to .alpha.-hydroxy acids (II), wherein the .alpha.-hydroxy acids (II) are produced and accumulated in an aqueous solvent by a microorganism having the concentration resistance to the .alpha.-hydroxy nitrites (I) and/or .alpha.-hydroxy acids (II) and durability preferably in the presence of a cyanide, and harvested. According to this process, the use of the microorganism having the concentration resistance to the .alpha.-hydroxy nitriles (I) and/or .alpha.-hydroxy acids (II) and durability high enough to permit the activity to persist for a long period of time enables .alpha.-hydroxy acids (II) to be accumulated in high conce…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.