USE OF XYLENE MONOOXYGENASE FOR THE OXIDATION OF SUBSTITUTED MONOCYCLIC AROMATIC COMPOUNDS

摘要

The invention relates to a biocatalytic process for the oxidation ofsubstituted monocyclic aromatic compounds to the corresponding carboxylicacids and related compounds. In a preferred embodiment the invention describesa biocatalytic process to produce 4-hydroxymethylbenzoic acid and 3-hydroxymethylbenzoic acid from p-xylene and m-xylene, respectively. 4-hydroxymethylbenzoic acid has been prepared by oxidizing p-xylene with asingle recombinant microorganism containing the enzyme xylene monooxygenase.