Production of a chiral polyester byPseudomonas oleovorans grown with 5-phenyl-2,4-pentadienoic acid

Pseudomonas oleovorans has been previously shown to produce a polyester containing a phenyl pendant group when grown with 5-phenylpentanoic acid under nutrient-limiting conditions. The same polyester was produced when 5-phenyl-2,4-pentadienoic acid was the only carbon source, and a mixture of two different polymers was produced when this bacterium was grown on a mixture of 5-phenyl-2,4-pentadienoic acid and nonanoic acid. The polymer blend obtained was separated by fractional crystallization to yield poly(3-hydroxy-5-phenylpentanoate) and the copolymer which is normally produced with nonanoic acid alone.