Patent ID: 6562603
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: C08G,C12N,C12P,C12R

Abstract:
A process for hydrolyzing 3-hydroxynitrile to 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid comprising the steps of:(a) contacting a 3-hydroxynitrile selected from the group consisting of 3-hydroxypropionitrile, 3-hydroxybutyronitrile, 3-hydroxyvaleronitrile, 3-hydroxyhexanenitrile, 3-hydroxyheptanenitrile, 3-hydroxynonanenitrile, 3-hydroxy-3-isopropyl-4-methylpentanenitrile, 3-hydroxy-3-phenylpropanenitrile, 2-propyl-3-hydroxypentanenitrile, and 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-n-pentanenitrile in an aqueous reaction mixture with an e catalyst characterized by 1) nitrile hydratase and amidase activity of microbial cells selected from the group consisting of Acidovorax facilis 72W (ATCC 55746), Comamonas testosteroni 22-1 (ATCC PTA-1853), Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D (ATCC 55744), Dietzia sp. ADL1 (ATCC PTA-1854), Syctalidium spp. 3LD-122P (ATCC PTA-1855), Rhodococcus sp. 25-1 (ATCC PTA-1856), and Pseudomonas putida 5B-MGN-2P (NRRL-B-18668); or 2) nitrilase activity of microbial cells selected from the group consisting of Acidovorax facilis 72-PF-15 (ATCC 55747), Acidovorax facilis 72-PF-17 (ATCC 55745), and Acidovorax facilis 72W (ATCC 55746), the Acidovorax facilis 72W (ATCC 55746) heat-treated to inactivate nitrile hydratase and amidase activities; and (b) optionally, recovering the 3-hydroxycarboxylic acid produced in step (a).