The procedure, jointly developed with RITE in Kyoto, is based on a two-step process with metabolically engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum strains which transform hexoses and pentoses into 4-hydroxy benzoate (4-HBA) which is transformed, in a separate bioprocess using resting cells, into phenol. The project is done under a NEDO contract and has reached pilot plant scale. Start of production is aimed at for 2018.
Nikkei Biotech news release, Oct. 16, 2015
At BioJapan2015, Sumitomo Bakelite shows progress in biomass to “green phenol” production process.