Mevalonic Acid Conversion via Fermentation and Catalytic Upgrading
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for producing isoprene and other intermediates from petroleum are expensive and time-consuming, and there is a need for a sustainable, renewable source due to the depletion of fossil fuels.
Innovation Solution
Biobased production of mevalonic acid derivatives, such as mevalonolactone, through fermentation, followed by chemical conversions to produce isoprene and other intermediates like methyl vinyl ketone, using microbial pathways and catalysts to facilitate high-yielding and cost-effective synthesis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If isoprene is obtained by fractionating petroleum, then isoprene can be produced, but the purification process is expensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the source material parameter from petroleum to mevalonolactone (a renewable organic acid), and changes the production method parameter from fractionation to biochemical conversion followed by simple purification, thereby reducing both cost and time while maintaining productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the isoprene production pathway from the petroleum fractionation process and replaces it with a dedicated biochemical route starting from mevalonolactone, eliminating the need for complex petroleum purification while achieving high-yield isoprene production
2Ease of manufacture
If isoprene is obtained from naturally-occurring organisms, then isoprene can be produced sustainably, but the yield is commercially unattractive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by first converting mevalonolactone to mevalone, then to geranyl pyrophosphate, and finally to isoprene through a controlled multi-step biochemical pathway, ensuring high yield at each stage rather than relying on low-yield direct extraction from natural organisms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the production system parameter from natural organism extraction to controlled biochemical conversion using isolated enzymes and catalysts, thereby achieving both sustainability and commercially attractive yield levels
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides a cost-competitive and sustainable route for producing isoprene and other intermediates, reducing reliance on petroleum-based sources and enabling the production of diverse polymers and chemicals.
Implementation Method 1
Mevalonic acid, mevalonate, and mevalonolactone can be produced via fermentation
Implementation Method 2
The mevalonic acid or mevalonolactone can then be converted via chemical routes, such as dehydration and decarboxylation, to produce a variety of intermediates, such as isoprene and methyl vinyl ketone
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a process comprising reacting mevalonic acid, or a solution comprising mevalonic acid, to yield a first product or first product mixture, optionally in the presence of a solid catalyst and/or at elevated temperature and/or pressure. The invention further relates to a process comprising: (a) providing a microbial organism that expresses a biosynthetic mevalonic acid pathway; (b) growing the microbial organism in fermentation medium comprising suitable carbon substrates, whereby biobased mevalonic acid is produced; and (c) reacting said biobased mevalonic acid to yield a first product or first product mixture.