Hydrochloric Acid → Glycolic Acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

The reaction described in Example 1 is repeated except that the mutant strains A. facilis 72-PF-15 or 72-PF-17 are used instead of A. facilis 72W. A suspension of 0.50 g (wet cell paste) A. facilis 72-PF-15 or 72-PF-17 in 8.44 mL of 0 020 M potassium phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) is placed into a 15-mL polypropylene centrifuge tube. To the tube is then added 1.06 mL of a 55 wt % solution of glycolonitrile in water (1.0 M final concentration of glycolonitrile in the suspension), and the resulting suspension mixed on a rotating platform at 25° C. Samples of the suspension for analysis (0.200 mL) are first adjusted to pH 2.5 with 6 N HCl to stop the reaction, centrifuged, and the supernatant filtered using a 0.2 micron filter. After sufficient time, complete conversion of glycolonitrile to glycolic acid is obtained with no production of byproduct glycolamide.

Provenance & Evidence