Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Michael S Logan

Catherine L Coyle

Gerben Zylstra

Michael Siskin

David T Ferrughelli

Kim Lewis

Matthew J Grossman

Anthony Ferrante

Alexander A Klibanov

The present invention is a process for transforming aromatic organic compounds and resource materials. The process includes the steps of contacting an organic material selected from the group consisting of single and/or multi-ring aromatic compounds and alkylaromatic compounds, and their heteroatom-containing analogues, crude oil, petroleum, petrochemical streams, coals, shales, coal liquids, shale oils, heavy oils and bitumens with a microorganism or enzymes in order to hydroxylate the organic material, followed by contacting the hydroxylated organic resource material so as to cause hydrogenation and/or hydrogenolysis on the material.

Biological activation of aromatics for chemical processing and/or

The present invention includes microorganisms that are resistant to non-aqueous solvents. In addition, the organisms of interest are able to grow and/or carry out various organic (e.g. hydrocarbon) transformations in non-aqueous/aqueous mixtures. The invention also includes a gene which encodes an enzyme, hydroperoxide reductase, which renders the host microorganism resistant to many organic solvents. The invention also includes the operon which includes the mutant gene and the ahpF gene which encodes an NAD(P)H dehydrogenase. The invention also includes a plasmid vehicle and a host microorganism containing these genes. The invention also includes cloning the genes encoding for solvent-resistance into other organisms rendering them solvent-resistant. In addition, the genes encoding for a specific organic or hydrocarbon transformation are placed into the solvent resistant microorganism.

Solvent-resistant microorganisms

Growing community of inventors

Phillipsburg, NJ, United States of America

Michael S Logan