Renewable and Reductant-Free Methods for Producing Indigoid Dyes

Patent Status

Brief Description

Nearly all blue indigo dye produced today is produced synthetically, mostly from petroleum.   Indigo itself is a water-insoluble compound and is typically treated with a reducing agent to produce an unstable, water-soluble intermediate. The most common reducing agents have many limitations (e.g., are unstable; can destroy the dye; are required in excess quantities; and are environmentally unfriendly).  Also, the quantity and variety of indigo precursors that can be produced through current natural biological pathways are limited.   

UC Berkeley researchers have developed methods for biosynthetically producing indigoid dye precursors and methods of using the indigoid dye precursors with greater structural variety which produce indigoid dyes without a harsh reductant chemical.  

Suggested uses

• Synthetic production of stable and renewable (i.e., not from petrochemicals) indigoid dyes

Advantages

• Elimination of environmentally unfriendly and costly reductant chemicals