A process of producing methacrylic acid and/or derivatives thereof including the following steps: (a) biologically converting isobutyryl-CoA into methacrylyl-CoA by the action of an oxidase; and (b) converting methacrylyl-CoA into methacrylic acid and/or derivatives thereof. The invention also extends to microorganisms adapted to conduct the steps of the process.

A process of producing methacrylic acid and/or derivatives thereof including the following steps: (a) biologically converting isobutyryl-CoA into methacrylyl-CoA by the action of an oxidase; and (b) converting methacrylyl-CoA into methacrylic acid and/or derivatives thereof. The invention also extends to microorganisms adapted to conduct the steps of the process.

The present invention provides a method for the preparation of a sex pheromone of Obsucure Mealy bug (OMB), (plus/minus) (2,3,4,4-tetramethycyclopentyl)methyl acetate. The method comprises a step of subjecting alpha-halotetramethylcyclohexanone to a Favorskii rearrangement to obtain a 2,3,4,4-tetramethylcyclopentane compound (2), a step of subjecting said compound (2) to reduction to obtain (2,3,4,4-tetramethylcyclopentyl)methanol (3) and a step of subjection said compound (3) to acylation to obtain a (2,3,4,4-tetramethylcyclopentyl)methyl carboxylate compound (4).

The present invention provides a method for the preparation of a sex pheromone of Obsucure Mealy bug (OMB), (plus/minus) (2,3,4,4-tetramethycyclopentyl)methyl acetate. The method comprises a step of subjecting alpha-halotetramethylcyclohexanone to a Favorskii rearrangement to obtain a 2,3,4,4-tetramethylcyclopentane compound (2), a step of subjecting said compound (2) to reduction to obtain (2,3,4,4-tetramethylcyclopentyl)methanol (3) and a step of subjection said compound (3) to acylation to obtain a (2,3,4,4-tetramethylcyclopentyl)methyl carboxylate compound (4).

Provided is a method for efficiently producing a levulinic acid ester from a cellulose-containing raw material or a carbohydrate-containing raw material in an alcohol solvent using an inexpensive, easily available catalytic system. In a method for producing a levulinic acid ester by reacting at least one of a cellulose-containing raw material and a carbohydrate-containing raw material in the presence of an alcohol and a catalyst, use is made of, as a catalyst, a combination of: at least one metal compound (exclusive of gallium acetylacetonate and indium acetylacetonate) selected from the group consisting of hydroxide salts, sulfates, nitrates, carboxylates, alkoxides, acetylacetonates, and oxides of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of metals belonging to Group XIII and Group XIV of the Periodic Table; and an organic sulfonic acid.

Provided is a method for efficiently producing a levulinic acid ester from a cellulose-containing raw material or a carbohydrate-containing raw material in an alcohol solvent using an inexpensive, easily available catalytic system. In a method for producing a levulinic acid ester by reacting at least one of a cellulose-containing raw material and a carbohydrate-containing raw material in the presence of an alcohol and a catalyst, use is made of, as a catalyst, a combination of: at least one metal compound (exclusive of gallium acetylacetonate and indium acetylacetonate) selected from the group consisting of hydroxide salts, sulfates, nitrates, carboxylates, alkoxides, acetylacetonates, and oxides of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of metals belonging to Group XIII and Group XIV of the Periodic Table; and an organic sulfonic acid.

A method for esterification of one or more carboxylic acid groups in a compound containing one or more carboxylic acid groups wherein the esterification reagent is a diazo-compound of formula:

##STR00001##

wherein the R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 groups of the diazo compound are selected such that the corresponding organic compound of formula:

##STR00002##

exhibits a —C—H pKa value between 18 and 29 as measured in DMSO. Specific reagents and methods for esterification are provided. The esterification reagents provided exhibit high selectivity for esterification of carboxylic acid groups over reaction with amine, alcohol or thiol groups in the compound containing one or more carboxylic acid groups. The method can be used to selectively esterify carboxylic acid groups in peptides or proteins.

A method for esterification of one or more carboxylic acid groups in a compound containing one or more carboxylic acid groups wherein the esterification reagent is a diazo-compound of formula:

##STR00001##

wherein the R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 groups of the diazo compound are selected such that the corresponding organic compound of formula:

##STR00002##

exhibits a —C—H pKa value between 18 and 29 as measured in DMSO. Specific reagents and methods for esterification are provided. The esterification reagents provided exhibit high selectivity for esterification of carboxylic acid groups over reaction with amine, alcohol or thiol groups in the compound containing one or more carboxylic acid groups. The method can be used to selectively esterify carboxylic acid groups in peptides or proteins.

An object of the present invention is to enable the synthesis of various fluorine-containing compounds having an organic group at both terminals of their tetrafluoroethylene structure (—CF.sub.2—CF.sub.2—). The present invention provides a fluorine-containing complex compound including a fluorine-containing organic metal compound represented by formula (1a):
R.sup.1—CF.sub.2—CF.sub.2-M.sup.1  (1a)
wherein M.sup.1 is a metal selected from the group consisting of copper, zinc, nickel, iron, cobalt, and tin; and R.sup.1 represents an organic group, and at least one ligand selected from the group consisting of pyridine ring-containing compounds and phosphines.

An object of the present invention is to enable the synthesis of various fluorine-containing compounds having an organic group at both terminals of their tetrafluoroethylene structure (—CF.sub.2—CF.sub.2—). The present invention provides a fluorine-containing complex compound including a fluorine-containing organic metal compound represented by formula (1a):
R.sup.1—CF.sub.2—CF.sub.2-M.sup.1  (1a)
wherein M.sup.1 is a metal selected from the group consisting of copper, zinc, nickel, iron, cobalt, and tin; and R.sup.1 represents an organic group, and at least one ligand selected from the group consisting of pyridine ring-containing compounds and phosphines.