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4281048 
Journal Article 
Production of Adipic Acid from Sugar Beet Residue by Combined Biological and Chemical Catalysis 
Zhang, H; Li, X; Su, X; Ang, E; Zhang, Y; Zhao, H 
2016 
Yes 
ChemCatChem
ISSN: 1867-3880
EISSN: GmbH & Co. KGaA 
8 
8 
1500-1506 
English 
WOS:000374763200013 
Adipic acid is one of the most important industrial dicarboxylic acids and is used mainly as a precursor to nylon-6,6. Currently, commercial adipic acid is produced primarily from benzene by a chemical route that is associated with environmental, health, and safety concerns. Herein, we report a new process to produce adipic acid from an inexpensive renewable feedstock, sugar beet residue by combining an engineered Escherichia coli strain and Re-based chemical catalysts. The engineered E.coli converted d-galacturonic acid to mucic acid, which was precipitated easily with acid, and the mucic acid was further converted to adipic acid by a deoxydehydration reaction catalyzed by an oxorhenium complex followed by a Pt/C-catalyzed hydrogenation reaction under mild conditions. A high selectivity to the free acid products was achieved by tuning the acidity of the Re-based catalysts. Finally, adipic acid was produced directly from sugar beet residue that was hydrolyzed enzymatically with engineered E.coli and two chemical catalysts in a yield of 8.4%, which signifies a new route for the production of adipic acid. 
biomass; biocatalysis; gene technology; homogeneous catalysis; rhenium