Isobutyraldehyde
Encyclopedia
Isobutyraldehyde is the chemical compound
with the formula (CH3)2CHCHO. It is an aldehyde
, isomeric with n-butyraldehyde (butanal). Isobutyraldehyde is manufactured, often as a side-product, by the hydroformylation
of propene. Its odour is described as that of wet cereal or straw.
, UCLA researchers published an article on the use of the cyanobacterium Synechoccus elongatus, in producing isobutyraldehyde from carbon dioxide and sunlight. The bacteria was gene engineered with increased amounts of the carbon dioxide–fixing enzyme RuBisCO
, and then other genes were spliced in to allow the absorption of carbon dioxide and the use of sunlight to power the system. Simple catalytic processes can hydrogenate the aldehyde into isobutanol
, which can be used in motor fuels and as a chemical feedstock.
Chemical compound
A chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements that can be separated into simpler substances by chemical reactions. Chemical compounds have a unique and defined chemical structure; they consist of a fixed ratio of atoms that are held together...
with the formula (CH3)2CHCHO. It is an aldehyde
Aldehyde
An aldehyde is an organic compound containing a formyl group. This functional group, with the structure R-CHO, consists of a carbonyl center bonded to hydrogen and an R group....
, isomeric with n-butyraldehyde (butanal). Isobutyraldehyde is manufactured, often as a side-product, by the hydroformylation
Hydroformylation
Hydroformylation, also known as oxo synthesis or oxo process, is an important industrial process for the production of aldehydes from alkenes. This chemical reaction entails the addition of a formyl group and a hydrogen atom to a carbon-carbon double bond...
of propene. Its odour is described as that of wet cereal or straw.
synthesis
Strong mineral acids catalyse the rearrangement of methallyl alcohol to isobutraldehyde.As a Green Technology
In the December 9, 2010 issue of Nature BiotechnologyNature Biotechnology
Nature Biotechnology is an academic journal covering the science and business of biotechnology.Nature Biotechnology is a continuation of Bio/Technology , which was founded in 1983 and renamed in 1996. It is published monthly by the Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers Ltd...
, UCLA researchers published an article on the use of the cyanobacterium Synechoccus elongatus, in producing isobutyraldehyde from carbon dioxide and sunlight. The bacteria was gene engineered with increased amounts of the carbon dioxide–fixing enzyme RuBisCO
RuBisCO
Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase, commonly known by the shorter name RuBisCO, is an enzyme involved in the first major step of carbon fixation, a process by which atmospheric carbon dioxide is converted by plants to energy-rich molecules such as glucose. RuBisCo is an abbreviation...
, and then other genes were spliced in to allow the absorption of carbon dioxide and the use of sunlight to power the system. Simple catalytic processes can hydrogenate the aldehyde into isobutanol
Isobutanol
Isobutanol is an organic compound with the formula 2CHCH2OH. This colorless, flammable liquid with a characteristic smell is mainly used as a solvent. Its isomers include n-butanol, 2-butanol, and tert-butanol, all of which are more important industrially.-Production:Isobutanol is produced by the...
, which can be used in motor fuels and as a chemical feedstock.