阅读说明：本技术 使用合成气的多级合成方法 (Multi-stage synthesis process using synthesis gas ) 是由 T.哈斯 E.M.维特曼 于 2013-05-08 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及使用合成气的多级合成方法。具体地,本发明提供了一种制备烃的方法,所述烃被至少一个含有至少一个氧原子的基团取代,所述方法包括以下方法步骤：A)使包含至少一种选自CO<Sub>2</Sub>和CO的物质的碳源与第一种微生物反应,以产生乙酸盐和/或乙醇,B)从所述第一种微生物分离出所述乙酸盐,C)使所述乙酸盐与第二种微生物反应,以产生被至少一个含有至少一个氧原子的基团取代的烃,和任选地D)纯化所述被至少一个含有至少一个氧原子的基团取代的烃。(The present invention relates to a multistage synthesis process using synthesis gas. In particular, the present invention provides a process for the preparation of a hydrocarbon substituted with at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom, comprising the process steps of: A) so as to contain at least one selected from CO 2 And CO, B) separating the acetate salt from the first microorganism, C) reacting the acetate salt with a second microorganism to produce a hydrocarbon substituted with at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom, and optionally D) purifying the hydrocarbon substituted with at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom.)

1. A process for the preparation of a hydrocarbon substituted with at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom, comprising the process steps of:

A) converting a carbon source comprising a carbon source selected from the group consisting of CO into acetate and/or ethanol with a first microorganism₂And at least one of CO and a nitrogen-containing gas,

B) separating the first microorganism from the acetate and/or ethanol,

C) converting the acetate and/or ethanol with a second microorganism into a hydrocarbon, the hydrocarbon being substituted with at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom, and optionally

D) Purifying the hydrocarbon substituted with at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom.

2. The process according to claim 2, characterized in that the carbon source in process step A) comprises at least 50% by weight, preferably at least 70% by weight, particularly preferably at least 90% by weight, of CO, based on all carbon sources available to the microorganisms in process step A)₂And/or CO.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the carbon source in method step a) comprises, in particular consists of, synthesis gas.

4. The method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first microorganism is an acetogenic microorganism.

5. The method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first microorganism is selected from the group consisting of:Clostridium autothenogenum DSMZ 19630clostridium ragsdalei: (Clostridium ragsdahlei）ATCC no. BAA-622To produce secondClostridium alchohol (Clostridium autoethanogenum) Genus moorella (a), (b), (c), (dMoorella sp）HUC22-1Moorella thermoacetica (A), (B), (C), (Moorella thermoaceticum) Thermoautotrophic moorella bacterium (A), (B), (C)Moorella thermoautotrophica）、Rumicoccus productus、AcetoanaerobumAcetobacter prokinensis: (Oxobacter pfennigii) Methanosarcina pasteurii (A), (B)Methanosarcina barkeri) Methanosarcina acetophaga (A), (B)Methanosarcina acetivorans) Carboxydothermus genus (C.)Carboxydothermus）、Desulphotomaculum kutznetsoviiPyrococcus genus (A)Pyrococcus) Streptococcus digestions (I)Peptostreptococcus) Bacillus methylotrophicus (A), (B), (C)Butyribacterium methylotrophicum）ATCC 33266Clostridium formicoaceticum (C.), (Clostridium formicoaceticum) Clostridium butyricum (C.), (Clostridium butyricum）、Laktobacillus delbrukii、Propionibacterium acidoprprionici、Proprionispera arboris、Anaerobierspirillum succiniproducens、Bacterioides amylophilus、Becterioides ruminicolaThermoanaerobacter kiwii: (Thermoanaerobacter kivui) Acetobacter woodii: (Acetobacterium woodii) Wet anaerobic acetic acid bacteria (A), (B)Acetoanaerobium notera) Clostridium acetate (C)Clostridium aceticum) Bacillus methylotrophicus (A), (B), (C)Butyribacterium methylotrophicum) Moorella thermoacetica (A), (B), (C), (Moorella thermoacetica) Myxoeubacterium (II), (III)Eubacterium limosum) Producing Streptococcus digestions: (A)Peptostreptococcus productus) Clostridium ljungdahlii (C.), (C.fortunei)Clostridium ljungdahlii) Clostridium (f) <Clostridium）ATCC 29797And C (C) herbivorous clostridium (Clostridium carboxidivorans）。

6. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in method step B) the first microorganism is removed from the acetate-and/or ethanol-containing medium by sedimentation, centrifugation or filtration.

7. The process according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in process step B) acetate is removed by means of extraction, in particular by means of in situ extraction, preferably using an extractant comprising an alkylamine.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the alkylamine is selected from trihexylamine, trioctylamine (Trioctylamin), tridecylamine, trioctylamine (Tricaprylamin), and tridecylamine.

9. The process according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in process step C), the acetate and/or ethanol is converted into a hydrocarbon, which is substituted by at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom, the hydrocarbon being selected from carboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, hydroxycarboxylic acids, carboxylic esters, hydroxycarboxylic esters, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones.

10. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in method step C) the acetate and/or ethanol is converted into fatty acids and the second microorganism has an increased activity of at least one thioesterase compared to its wild type.

11. Process according to at least one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that in process step C) the acetate and/or ethanol is converted into hydroxycarboxylic acids, in particular into ω -hydroxycarboxylic acids or hydroxyisobutyric acids.

12. The process according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carbon dioxide formed in process step C) is returned to the process in process step a).

Technical Field

The subject of the invention is a process for preparing a hydrocarbon which is substituted by at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom, comprising the process steps of:

A) converting a carbon source comprising a carbon source selected from the group consisting of CO into acetate and/or ethanol with a first microorganism₂And at least one of CO and a nitrogen-containing gas,

B) separating the first microorganism from the acetate and/or ethanol,

C) converting the acetate and/or ethanol with a second microorganism into a hydrocarbon, the hydrocarbon being substituted with at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom, and optionally

D) Purifying the hydrocarbon substituted with at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom.

Background

CO is often described in the literature₂Use as a carbon source in the microbial synthesis of organic compounds.

In general, it has been attempted in the prior art to construct 2 complementary metabolic pathways from different organisms in recombinant cells, with the aid of which organic substances can then be synthesized.

The problem here arises that the different organisms whose properties are intended to be combined together are organisms of very high specificity in the niche and it is therefore difficult to combine the sum of all the advantages associated therewith in one cell. In addition, the lack of genetic accessibility of these organisms can make desirable manipulations difficult.

Using CO₂As an alternative to carbon sources, it is known that CO can be fixed by some selective influence of fermentation parameters₂Such that the microorganism has increased synthesis of the desired, simple organic substance, for example ethanol, n-butanol or 2, 3-butanediol.

WO200068407 describes the use of acetogenic bacteria in the production of ethanol and WO2012024522 describes the use of acetogenic bacteria in the production of butanediol.

All described methods have the following disadvantages: yields are low and the use of a single cell type does not allow flexibility under fermentation conditions.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method that overcomes at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art.

Disclosure of Invention

It has surprisingly been found that the acetate product described below with further processing of the acetate is reacted with CO₂And/or a multistage process for CO separation, which in the simplest way overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.

The invention thus provides a method as described in claim 1 and in other independent claims.

One advantage of the present invention is that CO₂the/CO mixture is a substantially more advantageous feedstock which can furthermore be produced from various sources, such as natural gas and biogas, coal, oil, and plant residues.

Another advantage of the process of the present invention is the high carbon yield. This can be achieved by returning the CO formed₂And (5) realizing. Because of, CO₂May be converted again to acetic acid in the first stage.

Another advantage is greater flexibility in the fermentation conditions used, since the organisms used in the acetate processing are different from the organisms used for carbon fixation for the actual production in step C) of the process according to the invention.

A further advantage of the present invention is that by using acetate and/or ethanol, in particular acetate, as carbon source in process step C) a different product composition can be produced compared to the use of sugars in process step C).

The invention provides a process for preparing a hydrocarbon which is substituted by at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom, comprising the process steps of:

A) converting a carbon source comprising a carbon source selected from the group consisting of CO into acetate and/or ethanol, in particular acetate, with a first microorganism₂And at least one of CO and a nitrogen-containing gas,

B) separating the first microorganism from the acetate and/or ethanol, in particular acetate,

C) converting said acetate and/or ethanol, especially acetate, into a hydrocarbon with a second microorganism, said hydrocarbon being substituted with at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom, and optionally

D) Purifying said hydrocarbon, which is substituted by at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom, preferably having at least 3, especially at least 4 carbon atoms.

In the context of the present invention, the term "acetate salt" is understood to mean acetic acid and its salts; this is necessarily derived because the microorganisms work in aqueous media and therefore there is always an equilibrium between the salt and the acid.

In the context of the present invention, the term "second microorganism" is understood to mean a microorganism which is different from the "first microorganism" obtained in process step A).

All percentages (%) given are mass percentages unless otherwise indicated.

In the process according to the invention, in process step a), the first microorganism forms acetate and/or ethanol from a carbon source comprising carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide; the expression comprises that acetate and/or ethanol is formed at least partly from carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide.

With respect to the substrate carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxideSources, obviously, there are many possible sources for providing CO and/or CO₂As a carbon source. Obviously, in practice, any gas or any gas mixture capable of supplying the microorganisms with carbon in a sufficient amount to enable them to form acetate and/or ethanol may be used as carbon source in the present invention.

In the process according to the invention, it is preferred that the carbon source is provided by an off-gas, such as synthesis gas, flue gas, refinery off-gas, gas formed by yeast fermentation or clostridial fermentation, the off-gas resulting from gasification or carbogasification of the cellulose-containing material.

In this connection, it is particularly preferred that at least part of the carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide is a by-product of process step C) of the process according to the invention. This has the following technical effect: the carbon yield of the overall process was 100%.

These offgases do not necessarily have to be produced as a by-product of other processes (nebernescheininung), but can be produced specifically for use in the process according to the invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the carbon source is syngas.

The synthesis gas may be provided, for example, from a by-product of carbon gasification. Thus, the microorganisms convert the material as a waste product into a valuable feedstock.

Alternatively, syngas may be provided to the process according to the invention by gasification of a widely available, inexpensive agricultural feedstock.

There are numerous examples of feedstocks that can be converted into synthesis gas, as almost all forms of plants can be used for this purpose. Preferred raw materials are selected from perennial grasses such as chinese reed (chinaschlf), cereal residues, processing wastes such as sawdust.

Generally, synthesis gas is produced from dry biomass in a gasification plant, mainly by pyrolysis, partial oxidation and steam reforming, whereby the main products are CO, H₂And CO₂。

Typically, part of the product gas is preprocessed to optimize product yield and avoid tar formation. Lime and/or dolomite may be used to crack the undesirable tar into syngas and CO. These methods are described in detail in, for example, Reed, 1981(Reed, T.B., 1981, Biomass visualization: principles and technology, NovesData Corporation, Park Ridge, NJ.).

It is also possible to use mixtures of different sources as carbon source.

In general, it is preferred in the process according to the invention that the carbon source in process step A) comprises at least 50% by weight, preferably at least 70% by weight, particularly preferably at least 90% by weight, of CO₂And/or CO, wherein the% by weight is based on all carbon sources available to the microorganisms in process step A).

In method step a), a reducing agent, preferably hydrogen, is preferably supplied to the reaction together with the carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide.

A preferred process according to the invention is therefore characterized in that the carbon source in process step a) comprises, in particular consists of, synthesis gas.

It has long been known to convert CO₂And/or CO to acetate and/or ethanol, in particular acetate, and suitable methods and process conditions which can be used in process step A). Such methods are described, for example, in the following documents:

WO9800558，WO2000014052，WO2010115054

demler et al.Reaction engineering analysis of hydrogenotrophic production of acetic acid by Acetobacterium woodii.Biotechnol Bioeng.2011.2/108 (2): 470-4,

yonnesia et al.Ethanol and acetate production from synthesis gas via fermentation processes using anaerobic bacterium, Clostridium ljungdahlii.Biochemical Engineering Journal, volume 27, phase 2, pages 110-119,

morinaga et al.The production of acetic acid from carbon dioxide and hydrogen by an anaerobic bacterium.Journalof Biotechnology, Vol.14, No. 2, p.187-194,

LiProduction of acetic acid from synthesis gas with mixed acetogenic microorganisms, ISSN 0493644938,

schmidt et al.Production of acetic acid from hydrogen and carbon dioxide by clostridium species ATCC 2979.Chemical Engineering Communications, 45:1-6, 61-73,

Sim et al.Optimization of acetic acid production from synthesis gas by chemolithotrophic bacterium - Clostridium aceticum using a statistical approach. Bioresour Technol. 2008 May; 99(8):2724-35,

Vega et al.Study of gaseous substrate fermentations CO conversion to acetate 1 Batch cultureand2 continuous cultureBiotechnology and Bioengineering, Vol.34, No. 6, p.774 and 785, p.9 1989,

cotter et al.Ethanol and acetate production by Clostridium ljungdahlii andClostridium autoethanogenumusing resting cells.Bioprocess and biosystems engineering (2009), 32(3), 369-

Andreesen et al.Fermentation of glucose, fructose, and xylose by Clostridium thermoaceticum. Effect of metals on growth yield, enzymes, and the synthesis of acetate from carbon dioxide.Journal of Bacteriology (1973),114(2), 743-51。

The person skilled in the art is thus provided with a large number of possible possibilities for designing method step a), which all work well.

In this respect, acetogenic bacteria are particularly suitable. The acetogenic bacterial population belongs to the group of anaerobic prokaryotes, which can utilize CO₂As a terminal electron acceptor and in the process acetate and/or ethanol is formed. Currently, 21 different genera are included in acetogenic bacteria (Drake et al, 2006), some of which are also Clostridium (Drake and Kusel, 2005). They can utilize carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide as a carbon source and hydrogen as an energy source (Wood, 1991). In addition, alcohols, aldehydes, carboxylic acids and numerous hexoses can also be used as carbon sources (Drake et al, 2004). Result inThe acetate forming reductive metabolic pathway is called the acetyl-CoA pathway or the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway.

It is therefore preferred that, in process step a) of the process according to the invention, acetogenic bacteria are used as the first microorganism. It is particularly preferred to use acetogenic bacteria selected from the group consisting of:Clostridium autothenogenum DSMZ 19630clostridium ragsdalei: (Clostridium ragsdahlei）ATCC no. BAA-622Clostridium acetogenic bacteria (c)Clostridium autoethanogenum) Genus moorella (a), (b), (c), (dMoorella sp）HUC22-1Moorella thermoacetica (A), (B), (C), (Moorella thermoaceticum) Thermoautotrophic moorella bacterium (A), (B), (C)Moorella thermoautotrophica）、Rumicoccus productus、AcetoanaerobumAcetobacter prokinensis: (Oxobacter pfennigii) Methanosarcina pasteurii (A), (B)Methanosarcina barkeri) Methanosarcina acetophaga (A), (B)Methanosarcina acetivorans) Carboxydothermus genus (C.)Carboxydothermus）、Desulphotomaculum kutznetsoviiPyrococcus genus (A)Pyrococcus) Streptococcus digestions (I)Peptostreptococcus) Bacillus methylotrophicus (A), (B), (C)Butyribacterium methylotrophicum）ATCC 33266Clostridium formicoaceticum (C.), (Clostridium formicoaceticum) Clostridium butyricum (C.), (Clostridium butyricum）、Laktobacillus delbrukii、Propionibacterium acidoprprionici、Proprionispera arboris、Anaerobierspirillum succiniproducens、Bacterioides amylophilus、Becterioides ruminicolaThermoanaerobacter kiwii: (Thermoanaerobacter kivui) Acetobacter woodii: (Acetobacterium woodii) Wet anaerobic acetic acid bacteria (A), (B)Acetoanaerobium notera) Clostridium acetate (C)Clostridium aceticum) Bacillus methylotrophicus (A), (B), (C)Butyribacterium methylotrophicum) Moorella thermoacetica (A), (B), (C), (Moorella thermoacetica) Myxoeubacterium (II), (III)Eubacterium limosum) Producing Streptococcus digestions: (A)Peptostreptococcus productus) Clostridium ljungdahlii (C.), (C.fortunei)Clostridium ljungdahlii) Genus Clostridium（Clostridium）ATCC 29797And C (C) herbivorous clostridium (Clostridium carboxidivorans) In particular ATCC BAA-624. One particularly suitable bacterium is C.carbonum oxydans, particularly strains such as "P7" and "P11". Such cells are described, for example, in US 2007/0275447 and US 2008/0057554.

Another particularly suitable bacterium is Clostridium ljungdahlii: (C. elegans)Clostridium ljungdahlii) In particular a strain selected from the group consisting of Clostridium ljungdahlii PETC, Clostridium ljungdahlii ERI2, Clostridium ljungdahlii C0l and Clostridium ljungdahlii O-52, as described in WO 98/00558 and WO 00/68407, and ATCC 49587, ATCC 55988 and ATCC 55989.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the process according to the invention, in process step A), ethanol is formed and the microorganism used isAlkalibaculum bacchiATCC BAA-1772, HuC22-1 of the genus Moore, Clostridium ljungdahlii, Clostridium ragsdalei or Clostridium ethanogenum. Corresponding guidance for carrying out method step a) can be found, for example, in:

saxena et al.Effect of trace metals on ethanol production from synthesis gas by the ethanologenic acetogen Clostridium ragsdalei. Journal ofIndustrial Microbiology&Biotechnology Volume 38, Number 4 (2011), 513-521,

Yoonesi et al.Ethanol and acetate production from synthesis gas via fermentation processes using anaerobic bacterium Clostridium ljungdahliiBiochemical Engineering Journal Volume 27, Issue 2, 12.15.2005, page 110-,119,

sakai et al.Ethanol production from H2 and CO2 by a newly isolated thermophilic bacterium, Moorella sp. HUC22-1.Biotechnology Letters Volume 26, Number 20 (2004), 1607-

Abrini et al.Clostridium autoethanogenum, sp. nov., an anaerobic bacterium that produces ethanol from carbon monoxide. Archives of Microbiology Volume161, Number 4 (1994), 345-351。

Process step a) is preferably carried out under anaerobic conditions.

In process step B) of the process according to the invention, the acetate and/or ethanol, in particular acetate, formed in process step a) is separated from the first microorganism.

In the simplest case, the microorganisms are removed as solids from the acetate-and/or ethanol-containing medium, in particular acetate, for example by known methods such as sedimentation, centrifugation or filtration, and the remaining liquid phase is optionally fed directly to process step C). The direct feed has the following advantages: the further additionally contained medium components resulting from process step A) (e.g.vitamins, trace elements or inducers) are likewise available for the second microorganism in process step C) and are therefore preferred. In this connection, it may be advantageous and therefore preferred to increase the concentration of acetate and/or ethanol, in particular acetate, before feeding to process step C), for example by removing at least a portion of the water present.

Likewise, the acetate itself can be removed from the microorganisms in process step A) by means of extraction, in particular by means of in situ extraction. Suitable extraction methods are known to the person skilled in the art and are thus obtained, for example, from: EP2294206, WO2000014052, US 4405717, Katikaneni et al.Purification of Fermentation- Derived Acetic Acid By Liquid-Liquid Extraction and Esterification.Ind, Eng, chem, Res, 2002, 41, 2745, 2752, and Huh et al.Selective extraction of acetic acid from the fermentation broth produced by Mannheimia succiniciproducens.Biotechnol Lett. 2004 Oct; 26(20):1581-4。

Suitable extractants are described, for example, in WO2000014052 at page 8-17, point AThe modified solvent and solvent/co-solvent mixture(modified solvent and solvent/cosolvent mixture) below.

In the case of the isolation of the acetate by extraction, preference is given to comprising, in particular, an alkylamine, preferably those having at least 16 carbon atoms, preferably a trialkylamine, and particularly preferably a trialkylamine selected from the group consisting of trihexylamine, trioctylamine (trioctylamine), tridecylamine, trioctylamine (Tricaprylamin), tridecylamine, or a low-boiling solvent such as MTBE or ethyl acetate as extractant. These extraction agents comprising trialkylamines are preferably used in process step B) in combination with in situ extraction. This has the technical effect that the first microorganisms are not damaged and the additional advantage that process step B) can be carried out in a reverse flow process, which is additionally preferred.

A mixture of trioctylamine and 2-ethyl-1-hexanol is used in particular as extractant for process step B), these preferably being used in the same amounts.

For a detailed description of the process, reference may be made to EP2294206 and the process steps a) and B) described there.

In process step C), the acetate and/or ethanol, in particular the acetate, is converted with a second microorganism into a hydrocarbon which is substituted by at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom.

The hydrocarbons substituted by at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom are preferably carboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, hydroxycarboxylic acids, carboxylic esters, hydroxycarboxylic esters, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, which in particular have from 4 to 32, preferably from 6 to 20, particularly preferably from 8 to 12 carbon atoms. Particularly preferred are carboxylic acids, hydroxycarboxylic acids and carboxylic acid esters.

The second microorganism is preferably a yeast or a bacterium.

The second microorganism is preferably a genetically modified strain which has in particular been genetically optimized for the yield of hydrocarbons substituted by at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom.

The person skilled in the art knows from the prior art the second microorganism suitable for the respective target molecule and the process conditions to be used.

Such as, for example,

WO2011127409, WO2009111672 and WO2010062480 describe suitable second microorganisms and processes for the preparation of fatty alcohols,

WO2012017083 describes the preparation of fatty acid ethyl esters,

WO2011157848, WO2011059745, WO 2009140695, WO2007106903 and WO2009124694 describe the preparation of fatty acids,

WO2010126891 describes the preparation of alcohols, fatty acids and fatty acid esters,

WO2010118410, WO2010021711 and WO2010022090 describe the preparation of fatty acid esters,

WO2010042664 and WO 2009140695 describe the preparation of fatty acid aldehydes,

WO2012038390, WO2007077568 and WO2011153317 describe the preparation of dicarboxylic acids, and

WO2011008232, WO2009156214, WO2007141208, WO2004003213, GB2473755 and EP11191923.9 describe the preparation of hydroxycarboxylic acids.

In a preferred alternative process to the process according to the invention, the hydrocarbon substituted by at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom is a fatty acid, in particular a straight-chain saturated fatty acid having from 4 to 32, preferably from 6 to 20, particularly preferably from 8 to 12, carbon atoms. In this case, the second microorganism is in particular a microorganism which: which has an increased activity of at least one thioesterase compared to its wild type. The term "increased activity compared to its wild type" is understood to mean: the microorganism has been genetically modified such that it has this increased activity. Preferably, this is understood to mean the overexpression of a thioesterase or the expression of an exogenous thioesterase. Preferred thioesterases in this respect are selected from acyl-ACP-thioesterases, preferably EC 3.1.2.14 or EC 3.1.2.22 or an acyl-coa-thioesterase, preferably EC 3.1.2.2, EC 3.1.2.18, EC3.1.2.19, EC 3.1.2.20 or EC 3.1.2.22. Preferred second microorganisms for use in the alternative process according to the invention are disclosed in WO2010118410, WO2010075483, WO2008119082 and WO2007136762, explicit reference being made to the disclosure in these documents with respect to these microorganisms and with respect to these thioesterases.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the fatty acid is caprylic acid and/or capric acid and the thioesterase is derived from cuphea calycifera (A)Cuphea hookeriana) Is/are as followsfatB2The gene product of (1).

In a preferred alternative process to the process according to the invention, the hydrocarbon substituted by at least one group containing at least one oxygen atom is a hydroxycarboxylic acid, in particular an omega-hydroxycarboxylic acid, or hydroxyisobutyric acid, in particular 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid. In the case where hydroxyisobutyric acid is involved, the second microorganism is in particular the microorganisms disclosed in WO2009156214, WO2007141208, WO2009135074 and EP11191923.9, the disclosure of these documents in this respect being expressly referred to. In the case of omega-hydroxycarboxylic acids, the second microorganism is, in particular, the microorganism disclosed in WO2011008232, to which explicit reference is made for the disclosure.

It is preferred according to the invention that the carbon dioxide produced in process step C) is returned to the process in process step a) and is thus used as a carbon source. This has the technical effect that the carbon yield is 100%.

The examples listed below illustrate the invention without any intention to limit the invention, given by the entire description and claims, its scope of application to the embodiments mentioned in the examples.

Drawings

The following figures are part of the embodiments:

FIG. 1: in Escherichia coli (E. coli) To produce fatty acids from acetate, which is produced by the microorganisms from syngas.

Detailed Description