NOVELTY – Producing n-propanol comprises: providing a suitable carbon source for fermentation by a microorganism expressing the dicarboxylic acid pathway, reducing equivalents, and at least one gene coding for an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of propionate/propionyl-coenzyme A (CoA) into n-propanol; contacting the carbon source and reducing equivalents with the microorganism under conditions favorable for the production of n-propanol by the microorganism, thus a fermentation broth is produced; and recovering n-propanol from the fermentation broth. USE – The method is useful to produce n-propanol, which is useful to produce propylene, where the propylene is useful to give polypropylene (all claimed) to yield a bioplastic, and thermoplastic resins (for applications including rigid or flexible packaging materials, blow molding and injection molding). ADVANTAGE – The method provides: n-propanol (which has 100% of biobased content and contributes to reduce greenhouse gas emission) with high yield, propylene and polypropylene in a cost-effective manner; and iso-propanol and/or ethanol to maximize the carbon yield. DETAILED DESCRIPTION – INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for: (1) a microorganism useful in the n-propanol production method; (2) producing propylene comprising either: dehydrating n-propanol produced by the above method in the same reactor to produce propylene; or dehydrating in the same reactor n-propanol and isopropanol and/or ethanol; and (3) producing polypropylene comprising polymerizing the produced propylene. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) – The figure shows the integrated process to produce n-propanol in the presence of reducing equivalents externally supplied through the use of a bioelectrical reactor.
A41 (Monomers and Condensants These are also included in Section E.); A17 (Polymers of unsubstituted aliphatic monoolefins; including polyethylene.); A92 (Packaging and containers – including ropes and nets.); D16 (Fermentation industry – including fermentation equipment, brewing, yeast production, production of pharmaceuticals and other chemicals by fermentation, microbiology, production of vaccines and antibodies, cell and tissue culture and genetic engineering.); E17 (Other aliphatics.)