From our colleague Edna Vassilovski:

July 15, 2010: WIPO published over a dozen patent applications relating to biofuels. DuPont, Novozymes, BP Biofuels UK, Xyleco and Borregaard Industries each had one or more PCT applications publish as follows:

1. DuPont.

Seven PCT applications published relating to pretreatment of biomass for second generation biofuels. The majority of the applications are directed to organic solvent pretreatment processes in which lignin is extracted and enzymatic saccharification is enhanced.

WO2010080464 discloses pretreating biomass in the presence of an organic solvent solution under alkaline conditions in the presence of ammonia and optionally an additional nucleophile to fragment and extract lignin without loss of hemicellulose.

WO2010080462 discloses pretreating biomass in the presence of organic solvent under alkaline conditions in the presence of elemental sulfur and optionally one or more alkylamine and/or one or more additional nucleophiles to fragment and extract lignin.

WO2010080461 discloses pretreating biomass using an organic solvent under alkaline conditions in the presence of one or more sulfide (hydrosulfide) salt and optionally one or more additional nucleophile to fragment and extract lignin.

WO2010080460 discloses pretreating biomass using an organic solvent solution under alkaline conditions in the presence of one or more organo-mercaptan such as thioglycolate and optionally one or more additional nucleophile to fragment and extract lignin.

WO2010080434 discloses pretreating biomass using an organic solvent solution under alkaline conditions in the presence of one or more alkylamine and optionally one or more additional nucleophiles to fragment and extract lignin. According to the specifications of each of the above applications, the disclosed processes surprisingly result in significantly improved lignin fragmentation and extraction and high carbohydrate retention.

WO2010080436 discloses pretreating biomass through simultaneous oxidative degradation and selective extraction of lignin using a solvent solution comprising water in combination with at least one Mn(III) salt.

WO2010080489 discloses pretreating biomass under conditions of high solids and low ammonia concentration and contacting the biomass with a gas comprising about 0.1 to about 20 percent by volume ozone.

2. Novozymes.

Two PCT applications published generally relating to the saccharification step in biofuels production. WO2010080408 relates to methods for increasing hydrolysis of a cellulosic material by hydrolyzing cellulosic material with an enzyme composition in the presence of a polypeptide having peroxidase activity. According to the specification, the Km of the peroxide-decomposing enzyme or peroxidase is preferably in the range of 0.0001 to 50mM.

WO2010080527 relates to methods for determining cellulolytic enhancing activity of polypeptides. The method involves incubating cellulosic material with an enzyme composition comprising a cellobiose dehydrogenase and one or more cellulolytic enzymes in the presence and absence of a polypeptide and measuring the release of sugar from the cellulosic material in the presence and absence of the polypeptide. The specification further indicates that the polypeptide can be a GH61 polypeptide.

3. BP Biofuels UK.

Two PCT applications published relating to integrated processes for simultaneously or substantially simultaneously manufacturing butanol and biodiesel, biogasoline and biodiesel, or sugar and biodiesel.

WO2010079067 relates to an integrated process for co-producing butanol and biodiesel. The process includes removing hexose from a feedstock to form a lignocellulosic material, converting the hexose to butanol, depolymerizing the lignocellulosic material to form pentose and a residue, and converting the pentose to a biodiesel material.

WO2010079065 relates to an integrated process for co-producing biogasoline, biodiesel, and/or a sugar product. The process includes removing hexose from a feedstock to form a lignocellulosic material, converting the hexose to biogasoline or alternatively a sugar product, depolymerizing the lignocellulosic material to form pentose and a residue, and converting the pentose to a biodiesel material.

4. Borregaard Industries Limited.

WO2010079830 relates to a biomass pretreatment process involving a sulfite cooking step, which converts lignin in an insoluble form to a water-soluble form. The specification states that water-soluble lignin form has surprisingly superior properties as performance chemicals in the production of pure lignin chemicals. The specification also speculates that the sulfite pretreatment alters the lignin in a way that reduces or removes the inhibitory effect of lignin and makes high hydrolysis yield at low enzyme consumption possible.

5. Xyleco.

WO2010080428 relates reducing recalcitrance in lignocellulosic materials using oxidative methods that employ Fenton-type chemistry. The specification disclolses contacting lignocellulosic material with one or more naturally-occurring, non-radioactive group 5,6,7,8,9,10 or 11 elements.