Production of cis-1,2-dihydroxy-3-methylcyclohexa-3,5-diene (toluene cis glycol) by Rhodococcus sp. MA 7249

An attractive method for producing cis-1,2-dihydroxy-3-methylcyclohexa-3,5-diene (toluene cis glycol) was developed employing a cis dihydrodiol dehydrogenase “deficient” strain of Rhodococcus (MA 7249). The toluene cis glycol produced was found to have optical rotations of [α] d 25 = +25.8 (c 0.45, CH 3OH) and +72.8 (c 0.42, CHCl 3) which indicated an absolute configuration of (1 S,2 R) when compared with previously published values. When cultivated in laboratory fermentor in the presence of toluene vapors, MA 7249 reached a toluene cis glycol concentration up to 18 g/ l in 110 h. Culture MA 7249 also accumulated cis (1 S,2 R) dihydrodiols from dihydronaphthalene, biphenyl, chlorobenzene, and styrene.