Biomass conversion to fuels and chemicals
AssigneeAlliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
InventorsGregg Tyler Beckham, Christopher W. Johnson, Derek Richard Vardon, Mary Ann Franden
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Abstract
This disclosure relates to compositions and methods for converting biomass to various chemical intermediates and final products including fuels. Aspects include the depolymerization of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose to a wide slate of depolymerization compounds that can be subsequently metabolized by genetically modified bacterium, and converted to cis,cis-muconic acid. Other aspects include the use of monometallic catalysts for converting the cis,cis-muconic acid to commodity chemicals and fuels, for example adipic acid and/or nylon.
Claims12
A process for producing adipic acid, the process comprising:
- contacting a culture broth comprising a lignin depolymerization compound with a genetically modified prokaryotic microorganism comprising a first exogenous genetic addition encoding at least a 3-dehydroshikimate dehydratase and a phenol monooxygenase, wherein the genetically modified prokaryotic microorganism converts at least a portion of the lignin depolymerization compound to cis, cis-muconic acid;
- separating the cis, cis-muconic acid from the culture broth;
- purifying the separated cis, cis-muconic acid;
- and
- hydrogenating at least a portion of the purified cis, cis-muconic acid to produce the adipic acid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.