date:Sep 20, 2012
Two chemical companies are locked in an ongoing legal battle over the production of bio-based isobutanol, a substance used in the production of plastic bottles for soft drinks.
Gevo, which is helping Coca-Cola upgrade its PlantBottle to 100% renewable materials, claims its dispute with Butamax, a joint venture between DuPont and BP, began in December 2010.
The legal wrangle centres on the generation of isobutanol from biomass using modified microorganisms.
Conversion method
Isobutanol can be