Production of 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde

A process for the production of a 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde type metabolite which comprises reacting an aromatic hydrocarbon corresponding to the formula:

• ##STR5## where R is hydrogen or an alkyl group containing between about 1-4 carbon atoms, with Pseodomonad bacterial culture in the presence of molecular oxygen, said culture exhibiting catechol 2,3-oxygenase activity that is not inhibited in the presence of less than about 0.1 gram of a 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde metabolite per liter of bioconversion medium, and which lacks active catechol 1,2-oxygenase, 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde hydrolase and 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, wherein the metabolite which is produced to the formulas:
• ##STR6## where R is as previously defined, (3) Allowing said 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde type metabolite to accumulate in the bioconversion medium, and
• (4) Recovering said 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde product.

A process for the production and accumulation of 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde or substituted 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde which comprises (1) Reacting catechol or substituted catechol with a Pseudomonad bacterial culture in the presence of molecular oxygen, said culture exhibiting catechol 2,3-oxygenase activity that is not inhibited in the presence of less than about 0.1 gram of 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde or substituted 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde per liter of bioconversion medium, and which exhibits no enyzmatic activity that metabolizes 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde or substitute 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde,

• (2) Allowing said 2-hydroxymuconic semialkehyde or substituted 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde to accumulate, and
• (3) recovering the 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde or substituted 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde.