Provided herein are methods, compositions, and non-naturally occurring microbial organism for preparing compounds such as α-butanol, butyric acid, succinic acid, 1,4-butanediol, 1-pentanol, pentanoic acid, glutaric acid, 1,5-pentanediol, 1-hexanol, hexanoic acid, adipic acid, 1,6-hexanediol, 6-hydroxy hexanoic acid, ε-Caprolactone, 6-amino-hexanoic acid, ε-Caprolactam, hexamethylenediamine, linear fatty acids and linear fatty alcohols that are between 7-25 carbons long, linear alkanes and linear α-alkenes that are between 6-24 carbons long, sebacic acid and dodecanedioic acid comprising: a) converting a C.sub.N aldehyde and pyruvate to a C.sub.N+3 β-hydroxyketone intermediate through an aldol addition; and b) converting the C.sub.N+3 β-hydroxyketone intermediate to the compounds through enzymatic steps, or a combination of enzymatic and chemical steps.

Provided herein are methods, compositions, and non-naturally occurring microbial organism for preparing compounds such as 1-butanol, butyric acid, succinic acid, 1,4-butanediol, 1-pentanol, pentanoic acid, glutaric acid, 1,5-pentanediol, 1-hexanol, hexanoic acid, adipic acid, 1,6-hexanediol, 6-hydroxy hexanoic acid, -Caprolactone, 6-amino-hexanoic acid, -Caprolactam, hexamethylenediamine, linear fatty acids and linear fatty alcohols that are between 7-25 carbons long, linear alkanes and linear -alkenes that are between 6-24 carbons long, sebacic acid and dodecanedioic acid comprising: a) converting a C.sub.N aldehyde and pyruvate to a C.sub.N+3 -hydroxyketone intermediate through an aldol addition; and b) converting the C.sub.N+3 -hydroxyketone intermediate to the compounds through enzymatic steps, or a combination of enzymatic and chemical steps.

Provided herein are methods, compositions, and non-naturally occurring microbial organism for preparing compounds such as1-butanol, butyric acid, succinic acid, 1,4-butanediol, 1-pentanol, pentanoic acid, glutaric acid, 1,5-pentanediol, 1-hexanol, hexanoic acid, adipic acid, 1,6-hexanediol, 6-hydroxy hexanoic acid, ?-Caprolactone, 6-amino-hexanoic acid, ?-Caprolactam, hexamethylenediamine, linear fatty acids and linear fatty alcohols that are between 7-25 carbons long, linear alkanes and linear ?-alkenes that are between 6-24 carbons long, sebacic acid and dodecanedioic acid comprising: a) converting a C.sub.N aldehyde and pyruvate to a C.sub.N+3 ?-hydroxyketone intermediate through an aldol addition; and b) converting the C.sub.N+3 ?-hydroxyketone intermediate to the compounds through enzymatic steps, or a combination of enzymatic and chemical steps.

Provided herein are methods, compositions, and non-naturally occurring microbial organism for preparing compounds such as 1-butanol, butyric acid, succinic acid, 1,4-butanediol, 1-pentanol, pentanoic acid, glutaric acid, 1,5-pentanediol, 1-hexanol, hexanoic acid, adipic acid, 1,6-hexanediol, 6-hydroxy hexanoic acid, -Caprolactone, 6-amino-hexanoic acid, -Caprolactam, hexamethylenediamine, linear fatty acids and linear fatty alcohols that are between 7-25 carbons long, linear alkanes and linear -alkenes that are between 6-24 carbons long, sebacic acid and dodecanedioic acid comprising: a) converting a C.sub.N aldehyde and pyruvate to a C.sub.N+3 -hydroxyketone intermediate through an aldol addition; and b) converting the C.sub.N+3-hydroxyketone intermediate to the compounds through enzymatic steps, or a combination of enzymatic and chemical steps.