Question

Which of following is used for synthesis of adipic acid enzymatically by Drath and Frost?

• A. Benzene
• B. Glucose
• C. Fructose
• D. Galactose

Hint:

Associate "Drath and Frost" directly with the foundational principles of Green Chemistry! Their main goal was replacing petroleum feedstocks like benzene with cheap, renewable plant sugars—making Glucose the premier choice for sustainable biotransformations.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks us to identify the starting material used for the green, enzymatic biocatalytic synthesis of adipic acid developed by researchers Drath and Frost.

Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Traditionally, industrial adipic acid is produced from petroleum-derived benzene, which generates environmentally hazardous nitrous oxide ($\text{N}_2\text{O}$) emissions. Drath and Frost developed a green chemistry pathway utilizing genetically engineered bacteria (like E. coli) to convert renewable biomass sugars directly into adipic acid intermediates.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
In the biocatalytic pathway designed by Drath and Frost, the standard feedstock is D-glucose.
Genetically modified microorganisms ferment glucose via the shikimate pathway to synthesize muconic acid, which is then chemically hydrogenated to yield pure adipic acid:
$$\text{Glucose} \xrightarrow{\text{Genetically Engineered Microorganisms}} \text{Muconic Acid} \xrightarrow{\text{H}_2\text{ / Cat.}} \text{Adipic Acid}$$ This milestone design completely avoids the toxic benzene chemical path, making renewable glucose the correct raw material. This matches option (B).

Step 4: Final Answer:
The starting material used for this enzymatic synthesis is Glucose, corresponding to option (B).