Industrial Biotransformations

Nitrile hydratase
Rhodococcus rhodochrous
1) Reaction conditions
[1]: [104.11 g · mol –1 ]
medium: aqueous
reaction type: C-O bond cleavage by elimination of water
catalyst: immobilized whole cells
enzyme: nitrile hydro-lyase (nitrile hydratase, acrylonitrile hydratase, NHase,
l-NHase, H-NHase)
strain: Rhodococcus rhodochrous J1
CAS (enzyme): [82391–37–5]
2) Remarks
● In contrast to the chemical alkaline hydrolysis of 3-cyanopyridine with 4 % by-product of nicotinic
acid (96 % yield) the biotransformation works with absolute selectivity.
● The same strain is used in the industrial production of acrylamide.
3) Flow scheme
Not published.
4) Process parameters
yield: 100 %
selectivity: 100 %
capacity: 6,000 t · a –1
production site: China
company: Lonza AG, Switzerland
5) Product application
● Vitamin supplement for food and animal feed.
6) Literature
N
1
CN
E
+ H 2O
EC 4.2.1.84
● Petersen, M., Kiener, A. (1999) Biocatalysis – Preparation and functionalization of N-heterocycles,
Green Chem. 4, 99–106
N
2
CONH 2
1 = 3-cyanopyridine
2 = nicotinamide = vitamin B3 Lonza AG
Fig. 4.2.1.84 – 1
480