Biotechnological Process for the Production of Substituted or Unsubstituted Phenylacetic Acids and Ketones Using Enzymes of Microbial Styrene Degradation

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This patent describes a biotechnological process for producing substituted or unsubstituted phenylacetic acids and ketones (valuable building blocks in pharmaceuticals, flavors, and materials) using specifically engineered microbial whole-cell catalysts. These bacteria are equipped with genes encoding enzymes from the microbial styrene degradation pathway, enabling efficient conversion of styrene and related aromatic compounds into desired products under mild, environmentally friendly conditions. The invention also covers kits containing such biocatalysts and the use of different wild-type or recombinant bacterial strains for these conversions.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Industrial or pharmaceutical synthesis of phenylacetic acid derivatives such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, and penicillin precursors.
• Production of flavor and fragrance compounds for the food and cosmetic industries.
• Green alternative routes for manufacturing intermediates in chemical and agrochemical industries.
• Custom synthesis of chiral (enantioselective) intermediates for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
• Research tools for studying biocatalytic oxidation and transformation of styrenes and related aromatics.
• Manufacture of specialty chemicals (e.g., substituted aromatic ketones) for materials science.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Eco-friendly process: avoids toxic reagents, high temperatures, and high pressures commonly used in traditional chemical synthesis.
• High selectivity: can produce specific enantiomers or avoid racemic mixtures, valuable for pharma and specialty chemicals.
• Cost-effective: uses inexpensive, widely available styrene substrates and readily cultivable bacteria.
• Scalable and robust: process can be run in simple aqueous or two-phase systems and uses whole cells, not purified enzymes.
• Reduced by-product and waste formation: fewer toxic or undesired side-products compared to conventional chemical methods.
• Versatile and adaptable: applicable to a wide range of aromatic substrates with various functional group substitutions.

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method for biocatalytic synthesis of substituted and unsubstituted phenylacetic acids and ketones from styrenes and bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using enzymes of microbial styrene degradation in a whole-cell sensor, and a kit for biocatalytic synthesis of substituted and unsubstituted phenylacetic acids and ketones comprising a whole-cell catalyst and to the use of the method, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) providing of at least one type of whole-cell catalyst, comprising genes which are provided for the enzymes of the styrene degradation coding and functionally under the control of a controllable promoter, in an aqueous component, b) activating of the whole-cell catalyst by an inductor and/or an activator leads to expression of the genes, c) contacting the activated whole-cell catalyst to a substrate, d) isolating the formed reaction products, which advantageously are not metabolized further by the whole-cell catalyst and advantageously accumulate in the aqueous component.