(330c) Biocatalytic Carboxylation of Furans for the Production of 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid

This work seeks to explore the relationship between, and applications of, two co-dependent enzymes, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid decarboxylase I and II, which were initially identified as isofunctional components of a 5-hydroxymethylfurfural degrading pathway in Cupriavidus basilensis. (1)
Once the nature of the interaction between these enzymes is understood, we apply traditional reaction engineering, aided by thermodynamic modeling using the electrolyte Perturbed-Chain Statistical Associating Fluid Theory equation of state, to drive the natively catalyzed reaction in reverse. (2) In this manner we produce a reaction pathway with novel chemistry enabling the production of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, a key substitute for the terephthalic acid in polyesters, from furfural and carbon dioxide which are bio-renewable and readily abundant resources.

1. Koopman, F.; Wierckx, N.; de Winde, J. ; Ruijssenaars, H. J. Identification and characterization of the furfural and 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural degradation pathways of Cupriavidus basilensis HMF14. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2010, 107 (11), 4919-4924.
2. Cameretti, L. F.; Sadowski, G.; Mollerup , J. M. Modeling of aqueous electrolyte solution with the perturbed-chain statistical associated fluid theory. Ind. Eng. Chen. Res. 2005, 44 (9), 3355-3362.