Biosynthesis of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid and their derivatives from the corresponding dinitriles by tetrachloroterephthalonitrile-induced Rhodococcus sp

Enthalpy Relaxation, Crystal Nucleation and Crystal Growth of Biobased Poly(butylene Isophthalate)

The crystallization behavior of fully biobased poly(butylene isophthalate) (PBI) has been investigated using calorimetric and microscopic techniques. PBI is an extremely slow crystallizing polymer that leads, after melt-crystallization, to the formation of lamellar crystals and rather large spherulites, due to the low nuclei density. Based upon quantitative analysis of the crystal-nucleation behavior at low temperatures near the glass transition, using Tammann's two-stage nuclei development method, a nucleation pathway for an acceleration of the crystallization process and for tailoring the semicrystalline morphology is provided. Low-temperature annealing close to the glass transition temperature (T_g) leads to the formation of crystal nuclei, which grow to crystals at higher temperatures, and yield a much finer spherulitic superstructure, as obtained after direct melt-crystallization. Similarly to other slowly crystallizing polymers like poly(ethylene terephthalate) or poly(l-lactic acid), low-temperature crystal-nuclei formation at a timescale of hours/days is still too slow to allow non-spherulitic crystallization. The interplay between glass relaxation and crystal nucleation at temperatures slightly below T_g is discussed.

Biotransformation of 1,3-propanediol cyclic sulfate and its derivatives to diols by Rhodococcus sp

Rhodococcus sp. CGMCC 4911 transformed 1,3-propanediol cyclic sulfate (1,3-PDS) and its derivatives into corresponding diols. Ethylene sulfate, glycol sulfide, 1,3-PDS, and 1,2-propanediol cyclic sulfate were effectively hydrolyzed with growing cells. (R)-1,2-Propanediol (>99 % e.e.) was obtained at 44 % yield with growing cells. Glycol sulfide, ethylene sulfate, and 1,3-PDS were converted into the corresponding diols at 94.6, 96.3, and 98.3 %, respectively. Optimal reaction conditions with lyophilized resting cells were 30 °C, pH 7.5, and cell dosage 17.9 mg cell dry wt/ml. 1,3-Propanediol was obtained from 50 mM 1,3-PDS at 97.2 % yield by lyophilized cells after 16 h. Lyophilized cells were entrapped in calcium alginate with a half-life of 263 h at 30 °C, and the total operational time of the immobilized biocatalysts could reach over 192 h with a high conversion rate.