Biomass conversion to fuels and chemicals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016017381-A1
Application number	US-201514804161-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 20, 2015
Priority date	Jul 18, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

This disclosure relates to compositions and methods for converting biomass to various chemical intermediates and final products including fuels. Aspects include the depolymerization of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose to a wide slate of depolymerization compounds that can be subsequently metabolized by genetically modified bacterium, and converted to cis,cis-muconic acid. Other aspects include the use of monometallic catalysts for converting the cis,cis-muconic acid to commodity chemicals and fuels, for example adipic acid and/or nylon.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A genetically modified microorganism comprising at least one exogenous gene addition, wherein the at least one added gene encodes at least one of a decarboxylase, a dehydratase, or a monooxygenase.

2 . The microorganism of claim 1 , further comprising at least one endogenous gene deletion, wherein the at least one deleted gene encodes at least one of a dioxygenase, a muconate lactonizing enzyme, or muconolactone isomerase.

3 . The microorganism of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism over-expresses at least one demethylase gene.

4 . The microorganism of claim 1 , further comprising a deletion of at least one catabolite repression control gene of the microorganism.

5 . The microorganism of claim 1 , wherein the at least one exogenous gene encodes a decarboxylase from Enterobacter cloacae.

6 . The microorganism of claim 5 , wherein the exogenous gene is at least one of aroY, ecdB, or ecdD.

7 . The microorganism of claim 1 , wherein the at least one exogenous gene encodes a dehydratase from Bacillus cereus.

8 . The microorganism of claim 7 , wherein the exogenous gene is at least one of aroZ or asbF.

9 . The microorganism of claim 1 , wherein the at least one exogenous gene encodes a monooxygenase from Pseudomonas sp. CF600.

10 . The microorganism of claim 9 , wherein the exogenous gene is at least one of dmpK, dmpL, dmpM, dmpN, dmpO, dmpP, or pheA.

11 . The microorganism of claim 2 , wherein the at least one deleted gene is at least one of pcaH or pcaG.

12 . The microorganism of claim 2 , wherein the at least one deleted gene is at least one of catB or catC.

13 . The microorganism of claim 3 , wherein the demethylase gene is at least one of vanA, vanB, or ligM.

14 . The microorganism of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is at least one of a bacterium, a fungus, a yeast, a prokaryote, or a prokaryotic microorganism.

15 . The microorganism of claim 14 , wherein the microorganism is a prokaryote or prokaryotic microorganism from the genus Pseudomonas.

16 . The microorganism of claim 15 , wherein the microorganism is a strain of P. putida, P. fluorescens , or P. stutzeri.

17 . The microorganism of claim 16 , wherein the microorganism is a strain of P. putida KT2440.

18 . A process for producing muconic acid, the process comprising contacting a culture broth containing lignin depolymerization compounds with the microorganism of claim 1 .

19 . The process of claim 18 , wherein the lignin depolymerization compounds comprise at least one of p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, benzoic acid, phenol, coniferyl alcohol, caffeic acid, vanillin, or 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, and at least a portion of the lignin depolymerization compounds are converted to catechol, and at least a portion of the catechol is converted to muconic acid.

20 . A process for producing adipic acid, the process comprising:
separating muconic acid from a culture broth comprising muconic acid, impurities, and a microorganism; purifying the separated muconic acid; and hydrogenating at least a portion of the purified muconic acid to produce the adipic acid.

21 . The process of claim 20 , wherein the separating comprises at least one of centrifugation or filtration to produce muconic acid that is substantially free of the microorganism.

22 . The process of claim 21 , wherein the purifying comprises contacting the separated muconic acid with an adsorbent, wherein the adsorbent removes at least a first portion of the impurities from the separated muconic acid.

23 . The process of claim 22 , wherein the adsorbent comprises activated carbon.

24 . The process of claim 23 , wherein the impurities removed comprise at least one of benzoic acid, protocatechuic acid or 4-hydroxybenzoic acid.

25 . The process of claim 20 , wherein the purifying comprises crystallizing at least a portion of the muconic acid from the separated muconic acid to form a muconic acid precipitate and a liquid that contains at least a portion of the impurities.

26 . The process of claim 25 , wherein the purifying further comprises:
dissolving the muconic acid precipitate in a solvent, resulting in a liquid phase comprising muconic acid and a solid phase comprising at least a portion of the impurities; and separating the liquid phase from the solid phase.

27 . The process of claim 26 , wherein the separating is by at least one of filtration or centrifugation.

28 . The process of claim 26 , wherein the hydrogenation comprises contacting the liquid phase comprising muconic acid and diatomic hydrogen with a metallic catalyst.

29 . The process of claim 28 , wherein the metallic catalyst comprises at least one of palladium, platinum, ruthenium, or rhodium.

30 . The process of claim 29 , wherein the at least one of palladium, platinum, ruthenium, or rhodium is supported by activated carbon or silica.

31 . The process of claim 30 , wherein the metallic catalyst comprises rhodium supported by activated carbon.

Assignees

• Alliance Sustainable Energy

Inventors

• Beckham Gregg T
• Johnson Christopher W
• Vardon Derek R
• Franden Mary Ann

Classifications

• C12Y113/11001

  Catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (1.13.11.1) · CPC title

• C12Y402/01118

  3-Dehydroshikimate dehydratase (4.2.1.118) · CPC title

• C12Y401/01063

  Protocatechuate decarboxylase (4.1.1.63) · CPC title

• C12N9/88

  Lyases (4.) · CPC title

• C12P7/44 Primary

  Polycarboxylic acids · CPC title