Patent ID: 8084238
Filing Date: 2011-12-27
Classification: C07C,C12P

Abstract:
1. A process for producing glycolic acid from formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide comprising: (a) providing an aqueous formaldehyde feed stream that is heated to a temperature of about 90° C. to about 150° C. for a determinable period of time; (b) contacting the heated aqueous feed stream of (a) with hydrogen cyanide at a temperature suitable for glycolonitrile synthesis, whereby glycolonitrile is produced; (c) contacting the glycolonitrile of step (b) in a suitable aqueous reaction mixture with an enzyme catalyst comprising a polypeptide having nitrilase activity, said polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8, whereby glycolic acid is produced; and (d) recovering the glycolic acid produced in (c) in the form of a salt or acid.