Chemistry & Biotechnology By Francesc Rabanal

1. CHEMISTRY &
BIOTECHNOLOGY
Francesc Rabanal
University of Barcelona
http://www.qo.ub.es/personals/frabanal.htm

2. CHEMICALS
PLASTICS,
FUELS
CHEMISTRY: BIOTECHNOLOGY:
PETROLEUM AGRICULTURE
FEEDSTOCKS

3. BIOTECHNOLOGY and CHEMISTRY: A CLASSIC EXAMPLE
SEMISYTHETIC PENICILLINS
FERMENTATION to obtain
6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA) or
7-aminocephaloesporanic acid
(7-ACA)
Chemical ans enzymatic processes:
SEMISYTHETIC PENICILLINS and
CEFALOSPORINS:
Amoxicillin, ampicillin, cephalexin etc
ca 30 billion euros
65% of antibiotic market

4. CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
€ 1300 billion turnover; 10 million employees
Moving to GREEN Chemistry, WHITE Biotechnology:
€ 116 billion (2008) to 450 billion (2020)
Sustainable methods
Renewable stocks
Reduce pollutants (greenhouse effect gases…)
Save energy and water

5. KEY AREAS and EXAMPLES
BIOMATERIALS
Biodegradable polymers:
poly(hydroxyalkanoates)
(starch-based materials sugars, cellulose etc)
synergy chemist/biotechnologist for product
improvement (bioplastics)

6. KEY AREAS and EXAMPLES
CHEMICAL COMMODITIES
1,3-propanediol, 3-hydroxypropionic acid,
lactic acid (from corn sugar)
succinic acid (paints, textiles, coatings…) from
carbohydrates and biomass
polyethylene (from sugar cane)

7. KEY AREAS and EXAMPLES
NEW PROCESSES in development:
polypropylene (from sugar cane)
biobased terephtalic acid (furandicarboxylic acid, from sugar)
1,4-butandiol (from renewable carbohydrate feedstock),
use as a solvent, fine chemical, polymers (polybutylene
terephtalate)
Adipic acid (from glucose polyurethanes, nylon 6,6)
Acrolein and acrylic acid from glycerin

8. Example: Adipic acid from glucose
Adipic acid from benzene (crude oil)
O OH
O
H2 O2 HNO3 HO
+ OH
O
Adipic acid
Adipic acid from glucose (renewable process)
OH OH OH OH O O
H O2 HO H2 HO
OH OH OH
O OH OH O OH OH O
Glucaric acid Adipic acid
Glucose

9. KEY AREAS and EXAMPLES
Biofuels:
Bioethanol: from sugar cane to starch/lignocellulosic sources
enzymatic process to obtain glucose from cellulose,
recycle agricultural waste (glucose is to Biotech like
crude oil is to Chemical industry)
Biodiesel: from inedible crops

10. Summary and Conclusions
Clear synergies and expertise-sharing between Chemistry
and Biotechnology to produce chemical commodities and
biomaterials.
Cost-effective and sustainable processes are being
developed and tendency will continue to expand
Big Chemical Companies are complementary to Biotechs

11. References
1) H. Tullo, Chemical Engineering News, 88, 15-7 (2010)
2) The Economist, 2010, http://www.economist.com/node/16492601
3)M. N. Gupta, S. Raghava, Chemistry Central Journal, 1, 17, (2007)