STTR Phase I: Novel Bioprocess for Natural Gas Conversion

这个小型企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业化潜力是生产一种重要的平台化学品己酸。目前，6碳化合物很难获得，因为原油只含有一小部分在这个碳范围内作为轻石脑油的一部分。大多数6碳化合物是通过多个步骤产生的，这些步骤构成了从轻石脑油衍生的烯烃的转化。各种6碳化合物包括己醇、己烯、己内酰胺和六酯。所有这些化合物都是己酸的直接衍生物。提出的技术将使用一种新的生物工艺生产己酸，这将以较低的成本为该化学品提供替代来源。目前己酸的直接市场用途包括人造香料、橡胶化学品、清漆干燥剂、树脂和药品。它可以转化为己烯、己内酰胺（尼龙原料）。这些附加值á-olefins，聚合物和优质润滑油工业原料，成为早期商业化的优秀候选人。此外，己酸可以通过脱羧和自由基偶联化学转化为癸烷，这是一种喷气燃料成分。因此，从长远来看，利用拟议的创新进入3000亿美元的航空燃料市场是有前景的。本STTR一期项目拟开发一种新型微生物菌株，将甲醇转化为己酸。该项目的主要目的是论证甲醇转化为己酸的技术经济可行性。总体估计的碳产量和能源效率明显高于最先进的水平。生物途径由两个要素组成：(1)添加甲醇氧化反应提供还原剂；(2)形成的酸链长度的延长。甲醇氧化将使用已知生物的已知途径和能够在利用甲醇和H2/CO2时无氧操作的反应。利用梭状芽胞杆菌和已知酶的基本途径形成己酸，延长链长。在项目结束时，将开发一种新的菌株，可以在一个步骤中将甲醇转化为己酸。将对整个过程进行初步评估，并与目前的商业制造过程进行比较。

The broader impact/commercialization potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to produce an important platform chemical, hexanoic acid. Currently, the 6-carbon compounds are difficult to attain since crude petroleum contains just a small fraction in this carbon range as part of light naphtha. Most of the 6-carbon compounds are produced via multiple steps that constitute conversion of olefins derived from light naphtha. The various 6-carbon compounds include hexanol, hexene, caprolactam and hexa-easters. All of these compounds are direct derivatives of hexanoic acid. The proposed technology will manufacture hexanoic acid using a novel bioprocess, which will provide an alternative source for this chemical at a reduced cost. Current direct market uses of hexanoic acid include artificial flavors, rubber chemicals, varnish driers, resins and pharmaceuticals. It can be converted to hexene, caprolactam (nylon feedstock). These value added á-olefins, polymers and premium lubricant industry feedstocks, become excellent candidates for early commercialization. In addition, hexanoic acid can be converted to decane, a jet fuel component via decarboxylation and radical coupling chemistry. Thus, longer-term prospects exist for using the proposed innovation to penetrate a $300 Billion jet fuel market. This STTR Phase I project proposes to develop a novel microbial strain to convert methanol to hexanoic acid. The primary objective of this project is to demonstrate techno-economic feasibility of methanol conversion to hexanoic acid. The overall estimated carbon yield and energy efficiency are significantly higher compared to state of the art. The biological pathway consists of two elements added to an acetogenic host: (1) Addition of methanol oxidation reactions to provide reductant; and (2) Extension of the chain length of the acid formed. Methanol oxidation will use well-known pathways from known organisms and reactions capable of operation without oxygen in the utilization of methanol and H2/CO2. The chain length will be extended by using the basic pathway of Clostridium and known enzymes to form hexanoic acid. At the end of the project, a novel strain will be developed that can convert methanol to hexanoic acid in a single step. A preliminary assessment of the overall process will be performed and compared to the current commercial manufacturing process.