Process for producing n-substituted polyhydroxy nitrogen-containing heterocycles utilizing acetobacteraceae and corynebacterium

A process for producing a compound selected from the group consisting of N-substituted-amino-6-deoxy-2-ketohexuloses based on mannose, allose and altrose, N-substituted-amino-5-deoxy-2-ketopentuloses, 4-(N-substituted-amino-5-deoxy-2-ketopentuloses, 4-(N-substituted)-amino-1,3-dihydroxy-2-butanones, and salts thereof wherein the substituent on the nitrogen is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl substituted with aromatic, amide or carboxy, and C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 alkyl with hydroxy, comprising contacting, under conditions suitable for microbial oxidation, (i) an N-substituted amino sugar compound selected from the group consisting of N-substituted-1-deoxy-1-hexosamines, based on mannose, allose and altrose;

• N-substituted-1-deoxy-1pentosamines;
• N-substituted-1-deoxy-1-tetrosamines, wherein the N-substituted amino sugar compound lacks a nitrogen protecting group;
• and (ii) (a) microorganisms selected from a group consisting of Acetobacteraceae and Corynebacterium, or (b) a cellular fraction of the microorganisms, the microorganisms or fraction thereof being capable of oxidizing the N-substituted amino sugar compound.