Custom Development and Manufacturing Organization

Industrial biotechnology harness the power of fermentation for sustainable production of various ingredients.

Have you ever heard of ß-lactones? Well, they are important intermediates for the synthesis of various molecules. The finished molecules are used in fragrance, as nutritional supplements, or in liquid crystals. There are multiple pathways to synthesize ß-lactones; most of them are based on the addition of one carbon functionality. However, the ketene pathway enables the synthesis of ß lactones by adding two carbons, often from naturally present aldehydes and ketones, requiring no pre-preparation. There are more than ten different transformations starting from ß-lactones, making use of their reactivity to assemble molecules in a mild and efficient way.