Patents by Inventor Benjamin M. Griffin

Benjamin M. Griffin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10087161
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods of method of synthesizing 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and FDCA precursor molecules. The methods involve performing a chemical dehydration reaction on a gluconic acid derivative in the presence of a dehydration catalyst. In some embodiments the gluconic acid derivative can be 2-dehydro-3-deoxy gluconic acid (DHG) or an ester thereof, 2-ketogluconic acid (2KGA) or an ester thereof, and 5-ketogluconic acid (5KGA) or an ester thereof. The 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid precursor molecule is thereby synthesized, which can be converted into FDCA. The chemical dehydration can be performed by a variety of acid basic catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Synthetic Genomics, Inc.
    Inventors: Spiros Kambourakis, Benjamin M. Griffin
  • Patent number: 9909154
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods of producing dicarboxylic acids. The methods involve incubating a fatty acid or hydrocarbon substrate with an enzyme to produce a dicarboxylic acid product. The enzyme acts on the substrate to produce a product that has been both over-oxidized and has undergone cleavage of a C—C bond. In some embodiments the enzymes having these useful characteristics are mutants of a cytochrome P450 enzyme, for example an enzyme of the class CYP102 or a mutant thereof. The invention provides enzymes where these desirable characteristics can be found in a single enzyme, and thus in some embodiments the methods can be performed through the action of a single enzyme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Synthetic Genomics, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin M. Griffin, Spiros Kambourakis
  • Publication number: 20170088865
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for producing a product of one or more enzymatic pathways. The pathways used in the methods of the invention involve one or more conversion steps such as, for example, an enzymatic conversion of guluronic acid into D-glucarate (Step 7); an enzymatic conversion of 5-ketogluconate (5-KGA) into L-Iduronic acid (Step 15); an enzymatic conversion of L-Iduronic acid into Idaric acid Step 7b); and an enzymatic conversion of 5-ketocluconate into 4,6-dihydroxy 2,5-diketo hexanoate (2,5-DDH) (Step 16). In some embodiments the methods of the invention produce 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) as a product. The methods include both enzymatic and chemical conversions as steps. Various pathways are also provided for converting glucose into 5-dehdyro-4-deoxy-glucarate (DDG), and for converting glucose into 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Spiros Kambourakis, Benjamin M. Griffin, Kevin V. Martin
  • Publication number: 20170050944
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods of method of synthesizing 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and FDCA precursor molecules. The methods involve performing a chemical dehydration reaction on a gluconic acid derivative in the presence of a dehydration catalyst. In some embodiments the gluconic acid derivative can be 2-dehydro-3-deoxy gluconic acid (DHG) or an ester thereof, 2-ketogluconic acid (2KGA) or an ester thereof, and 5-ketogluconic acid (5KGA) or an ester thereof. The 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid precursor molecule is thereby synthesized, which can be converted into FDCA. The chemical dehydration can be performed by a variety of acid basic catalysts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Inventors: Spiros Kambourakis, Benjamin M. Griffin
  • Patent number: 9528133
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for producing a product of one or more enzymatic pathways. The pathways used in the methods of the invention involve one or more conversion steps such as, for example, an enzymatic conversion of guluronic acid into D-glucarate (Step 7); an enzymatic conversion of 5-ketogluconate (5-KGA) into L-Iduronic acid (Step 15); an enzymatic conversion of L-Iduronic acid into Idaric acid Step 7b); and an enzymatic conversion of 5-ketocluconate into 4,6-dihydroxy 2,5-diketo hexanoate (2,5-DDH) (Step 16). In some embodiments the methods of the invention produce 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) as a product. The methods include both enzymatic and chemical conversions as steps. Various pathways are also provided for converting glucose into 5-dehdyro-4-deoxy-glucarate (DDG), and for converting glucose into 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). The methods also involve the use of engineered enzymes that perform reactions with high specificity and efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Synthetic Genomics, Inc.
    Inventors: Spiros Kambourakis, Benjamin M. Griffin, Kevin V. Martin
  • Patent number: 9506090
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for producing a product of one or more enzymatic pathways. The pathways used in the methods of the invention involve one or more conversion steps such as, for example, an enzymatic conversion of guluronic acid into D-glucarate (Step 7); an enzymatic conversion of 5-ketogluconate (5-KGA) into L-Iduronic acid (Step 15); an enzymatic conversion of L-Iduronic acid into Idaric acid Step 7b); and an enzymatic conversion of 5-ketocluconate into 4,6-dihydroxy 2,5-diketo hexanoate (2,5-DDH) (Step 16). In some embodiments the methods of the invention produce 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) as a product. The methods include both enzymatic and chemical conversions as steps. Various pathways are also provided for converting glucose into 5-dehdyro-4-deoxy-glucarate (DDG), and for converting glucose into 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). The methods also involve the use of engineered enzymes that perform reactions with high specificity and efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Synthetic Genomics, Inc.
    Inventors: Spiros Kambourakis, Benjamin M. Griffin, Kevin V. Martin
  • Publication number: 20150176041
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods of producing dicarboxylic acids. The methods involve incubating a fatty acid or hydrocarbon substrate with an enzyme to produce a dicarboxylic acid product. The enzyme acts on the substrate to produce a product that has been both over-oxidized and has undergone cleavage of a C—C bond. In some embodiments the enzymes having these useful characteristics are mutants of a cytochrome P450 enzyme, for example an enzyme of the class CYP102 or a mutant thereof. The invention provides enzymes where these desirable characteristics can be found in a single enzyme, and thus in some embodiments the methods can be performed through the action of a single enzyme.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Benjamin M. Griffin, Spiros Kambourakis
  • Publication number: 20140206047
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for producing a product of one or more enzymatic pathways. The pathways used in the methods of the invention involve one or more conversion steps such as, for example, an enzymatic conversion of guluronic acid into D-glucarate (Step 7); an enzymatic conversion of 5-ketogluconate (5-KGA) into L-Iduronic acid (Step 15); an enzymatic conversion of L-Iduronic acid into Idaric acid Step 7b); and an enzymatic conversion of 5-ketocluconate into 4,6-dihydroxy 2,5-diketo hexanoate (2,5-DDH) (Step 16). In some embodiments the methods of the invention produce 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) as a product. The methods include both enzymatic and chemical conversions as steps. Various pathways are also provided for converting glucose into 5-dehdyro-4-deoxy-glucarate (DDG), and for converting glucose into 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). The methods also involve the use of engineered enzymes that perform reactions with high specificity and efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: Synthetic Genomics, Inc.
    Inventors: Spiros Kambourakis, Benjamin M. Griffin, Kevin V. Martin