Polyhydroxyalkanoate and method for controlling molecular weight of polyhydroxyalkanoate constituted of units containing residue of phenyl-, thienyl-, or cyclohexyl-structure in side chain of molecule

摘要

A method is provided for controlling the molecular weight of a polyhydroxyalkanoate containing at least one of a unit: -ÄOCH((CH2)mR1)CH2C(O)Ü- (m=1-8; R1 is a residue having a ring structure of any of phenyl and thienyl structure), and a unit: -ÄOCH((CH2)kC6H10R2)CH2C(O)Ü- (k=0-8; R2 denotes a substituent on the cyclohexyl group including H, CN, NO2, halogen atom, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, CF3, C2F5 or C3F7), wherein a microorganism is cultivated in the presence of a hydroxyl group-containing compound, which is capable of producing the polyhydroxyalkanoate from R3(CH2)qCH2CH2COOH (q=1-8; R3 contains a residue having a ring structure of phenyl or thienyl) or R4C6H10(CH2)rCH2CH2COOH (r=0-8; R4 denotes a substituent on the cyclohexyl group including H, CN, NO2, halogen, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, CF3, C2F5, or C3F7).