Abstract: This invention relates to polymerization of muconic acid and its derivatives. Muconic acid useful for the invention can be in any of its isomeric forms including cis, cis-muconic acid (ccMA), cis, trans-muconic acid (ctMA), and trans, trans-muconic acid (ttMA). Muconic acid used in the invention can be derived either from renewable carbon resources through biological fermentation or from non-renewable petrochemical resources through biological fermentation or chemical conversion.

Abstract: This invention relates to polymerization of muconic acid and its derivatives. Muconic acid useful for the present invention can be in any of its isomeric forms including cis, cis-muconic acid (ccMA), cis, trans-muconic acid (ctMA), and trans, trans-muconic acid (ttMA). Muconic acid used in the present invention can be derived either from renewable carbon resources through biological fermentation or from non-renewable petrochemical resources through biological fermentation or chemical conversion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of hydrocarbons derived from natural gas in the fermentative production of biochemicals including biofuels. More specifically, the present invention provides the method for manufacturing dihydroxyacetone (“DHA”) from natural gas, biogas, biomass and CO2 released from industrial plants including electricity-generating plants, steel mills and cement factories and the use of DHA as a source of organic carbon in the fermentative production of biochemicals including biofuels. The present invention comprises three stages. In the first stage of the present invention, syngas and formaldehyde are produced from natural gas, biogas, biomass and CO2 released from industrial plants. In the second stage of the present invention, formaldehyde and syngas are condensed to produce DHA. In the third stage of the present invention, biochemicals including biofuels are produced from DHA using fermentation process involving wild type or genetically modified microbial biocatalysts.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing succinic acid and succinate ester from a succinic acid salt in fermentation broth. In the first stage of this invention, renewable carbon resources are utilized to produce succinic acid through biological fermentation. The succinic acid salt in the fermentation process is subjected to double displacement reaction with a strong acid leading to release of succinic acid. Succinic acid is recovered by fractional crystallization integrated with simulated moving bed chromatography to produce succinic acid and succinate ester.