Anaerobic toluene oxidation to benzyl alcohol and benzaldehyde in a denitrifying Pseudomonas strain

The denitrifying Pseudomonas strain K172 was grown with a generation time of 6 h to a cell density of 0.4 g (dry weight) per liter with toluene and nitrate as substrates. We found that anaerobic cell suspensions oxidize [14C]toluene first to [14C]benzyl alcohol and subsequently to [14C]benzaldehyde. This proves that the methyl group of toluene is oxidized without molecular oxygen to a hydroxymethyl group.