Method for producing 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid and methacrylic acid from acetone cyanohydrin
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorsSarita Chauhan, Robert DiCosimo, Robert Fallon, John Gavagan, Leo Ernest Manzer, Mark S. Payne
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method for producing 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid where acetone cyanohydrin is converted to 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid using an enzyme catalyst having nitrilase activity, or having a combination of nitrile hydratase and amidase activities. The invention also encompasses production of methacrylic acid wherein the 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid produced with the catalyst described is dehydrated to produce methacrylic acid.
Claims8
A process for producing 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid from acetone cyanohydrin comprising
- (a) contacting acetone cyanohydrin in a suitable aqueous reaction mixture with a catalyst characterized by nitrilase activity derived from Acidovorax facilis 72W or by a combination of nitrile hydratase and amidase activities derived from Comamonas testosteroni, wherein the catalyst characterized by nitrile hydratase and amidase activity is in the form of microbial cells selected from the group consisting of Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM4D ATCC 55744 and Comamonas testosteroni 22-1 ATCC PTA-1853, and microbial cells transformed to express Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D ATCC 55744 or Comamonas testosteroni 22-1 ATCC PTA-1853 nitrile hydratase and amidase activities;
- and
- (b) isolating the 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid produced in (a) in the form of a salt or acid.
A process for producing methacrylic acid from acetone cyanohydrin comprising
- (a) contacting acetone cyanohydrin in a suitable aqueous reaction mixture with a catalyst characterized by nitrilase activity derived from Acidovorax facilis 72W or by a combination of nitrile hydratase and amidase activities derived from Comamonas testosteroni, wherein the catalyst characterized by nitrile hydratase and amidase activity is in the form of microbial cells selected from the group consisting of Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D ATCC 55744 and Comamonas testosteroni 22-1 ATCC PTA-1853, and microbial cells transformed to express Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D ATCC 55744 or Comamonas testosteroni 22-1 ATCC PTA-1853 nitrile hydratase and amidase activities;
- (b) dehydrating the 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid produced in (a);
- and
- (c) isolating the methacrylic acid produced in (b) in the form of a salt or acid.
A process for producing 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid from acetone Cyanohydrin comprising
- (a) contacting acetone cyanohydrin in a suitable aqueous reaction mixture with a catalyst characterized by nitrilase activity and nitrite hydratase and amidase activities derived from Acidovorax facilis 72W;
- and
- (b) isolating the 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid produced in (a) in the form of a salt or acid.
A process for producing methacrylic acid from acetone cyanohydrin comprising
- (a) contacting acetone cyanohydrin in a suitable aqueous reaction mixture with a catalyst characterized by nitrilase activity and nitrile hydratase and amidase activities derived from Acidovorax facilis 72W;
- (b) dehydrating the 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid produced in (a);
- and
- (c) isolating the methacrylic acid produced in (b) in the form of a salt or acid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.