PRODUCTION OF HYDROXYCARBOXYLIC ACID AND ITS AMIDE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain the subject compound that is useful as a pharmaceutical, perfume or pharmaceutical intermediate in high yield by allowing a microorganism capable of hydrolyzing the nitrile group in a specific hydroxynitrile to act on a hydroxynitrile in an aqueous medium. SOLUTION: A microorganism that is capable of hydrolyzing the nitrile group in a hydroxynitrile represented by formula I (R1 and R2 are H, a 1-4 C straight branched chain alkyl or R1 and R2 link to each other to from a cyclic ring; (n) is an integer of 1-3) as 5-hydroxyhexanenitrile such as Corynebacterium nitrilophilus ATCC 21419 or the treatment product of this microorganism is allowed to act on a hydroxynitrile in an aqueous medium to industrially advantageously produce the objective hydroxycarboxylic acid (5-hydroxyhexanoic acid) that is represented by formula II and is important as medicine, perfume or medicinal intermediate.