Novel polyhydroxyalkanoate containing unit with phenylsulfanyl structure in the side chain, process for its production, charge control agent, toner binder and toner which contain novel polyhydroxyalkanoate, and image forming method and image-forming apparatus which make use of the toner

摘要

A polyhydroxyalkanoate is disclosed which has in the molecule a unit represented by Chemical Formula (1). wherein R is arbitrarily selected from a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, CN, NO₂, COOR′, SO₂R″, CH₃, C₂H₅, C₃H₇, C(CH₃)₂H and C(CH₃)₃; where R′ is H, Na, K, CH₃ or C₂H₅, and R″ is OH, ONa, OK, a halogen atom, OCH₃ or OC₂H₅; and x is an integer arbitrarily selected from 1 to 8; with the proviso that a polyhydroxyalkanoate is excluded which has a hydrogen atom as R and x in all the units is 2 or 4. Also disclosed is a process for producing the polyhydroxyalkanoate by the use of a microorganism having the ability to produce the polyhydroxyalkanoate and accumulate it in the bacterial body.