TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - BIOTECHNOLOGY - Preparation: The engineered microorganism is prepared by standard recombinant method. Preferred Microorganism: The microorganism makes alcohols and has overexpressed (a) alcohol-forming coenzyme-A thioester reductase or (b) aldehyde-forming CoA thioester reductase and an alcohol dehydrogenase to convert intermediates of the beta -oxidation cycle reversal to alcohols. The microorganism makes carboxylic acids and has overexpressed thioesterase, acyl-CoA:acetyl-CoA transferase, or phosphotransacylase and carboxylate kinase to convert intermediates of the reversed beta -oxidation cycle to carboxylic acids. The microorganism makes alkanes or terminal alkenes and has overexpressed aldehyde-forming CoA thioester reductase and aldehyde decarbonylase to convert intermediates of the reversed beta -oxidation cycle to alkanes or terminal alkenes. The microorganism makes alkenes and has overexpressed one or more olefin-forming enzymes to convert intermediates of the reversed beta -oxidation cycle to alkenes. The microorganism comprises fadR gene, atoC(c) gene, Delta arcA gene, Delta crp gene, crpasterisk gene, Delta adhE gene, Delta pta gene, Delta frdA gene, Delta ldhA gene and Delta mgsA gene, or fadR gene, atoC(c) gene, Delta arcA gene, Delta crp gene, crpasterisk gene, Delta adhE gene, Delta pta gene, NAD(P)-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase ( Delta yqhD) gene, aldehyde dehydrogenase ( Delta eutE) gene, acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase (yqeF+) gene and L-1,2-propanediol oxidoreductase (fucO+) gene, where + is over expressed activity. The microorganism further has overexpression of pyruvate-flavodoxin oxidoreductase (ydbK) gene and ydiO-ydiQRST gene. The microorganism further has overexpression of ydbK gene, gene encoding flavoprotein subunit complex of sulfite reductase (cysJ) and at least one or both of NAD(P)H-dependent acyl-CoA dehydrogenase and NAD(P)H-dependent transenoyl-CoA reductase. The microorganism further has overexpression of aceEF-lipoamide dehydrogenase (lpdA) gene, anaerobically active pyruvate dehydrogenase, NAD-dependent formate dehydrogenase, or pyruvate-NADP oxidoreductase and at least one or both of NAD(P)H-dependent acyl-CoA dehydrogenase and NAD(P)H-dependent transenoyl-CoA reductase. The microorganism further comprises one of (a) acyl coenzyme A synthetase ( Delta fadD) gene, fatty acid oxidation operon (fadBA+) gene, (b) fadBA+ gene, gene encoding predicted iron-containing alcohol dehydrogenase (yiaY+), (c) Delta fadD gene, fadBA+ gene, yiaY+ gene, (d) fadBA+ gene, alcohol dehydrogenase (eutG+) gene, (e) Delta fadD gene, fadBA+ gene, eutG+ gene, (f) fadBA+ gene, choline dehydrogenase (betA+) gene, (g) Delta fadD gene, fadBA+ gene, betA+ gene, (h) Delta fadD gene, fadBA+ gene, long-chain acyl-CoA thioesterase (fadM) gene or (i) Delta fadD gene, fadBA+ gene, acyl-CoA thioesterase (yciA+) gene. The microorganism further comprises knockout of fadA gene, beta -ketoacyl-CoA thiolase (fadI) gene and beta -ketoadipyl-CoA thiolase (paaJ) gene and overexpression of one or more of short-chain CoA thioester hydrolase or thioesterase, short-chain phosphotransacylase and short-chain carboxylate kinase, short-chain acyl-CoA:acetyl-CoA transferase, short-chain alcohol-forming CoA thioester reductase, or short-chain aldehyde-forming CoA thioester reductase and long-chain alcohol dehydrogenase, or aldehyde-forming CoA thioester reductase and aldehyde decarbonylase, or short-chain aldehyde-forming CoA thioester reductase and short-chain aldehyde decarbonylase, or olefin-forming enzyme, or the microorganism further has overexpression of fadB, fadI and paaJ and overexpression of one or more of long-chain CoA thioester hydrolases, thioesterase or long-chain phosphotransacylase and long-chain carboxylate kinase, long-chain acyl-CoA:acetyl-CoA transferase, long-chain alcohol-forming CoA thioester reductase or long-chain aldehyde-forming CoA thioester reductase and long-chain alcohol dehydrogenase or long-chain aldehyde-forming CoA thioester reductase and long-chain aldehyde decarbonylase or olefin-forming enzyme. Preferred Method: The method further involves supplementing the medium with propionate in order to produce odd-chain length products. SPECIFIC MICROORGANISMS - 35 Microorganisms are specifically claimed, e.g. fadR atoC(c) Delta arcA Delta crp crpasterisk Delta adhE Delta frdA Delta pta Delta ldhA Delta mgsA (yqhD+), fadR atoC(c) Delta arcA Delta crp crpasterisk Delta adhE Delta frdA Delta pta Delta ldhA Delta mgsA (fucO+), fadR atoC(c) Delta arcA Delta crp crpasterisk Delta adhE Delta frdA Delta pta Delta ldhA Delta mgsA (yqeF+), fadR atoC(c) Delta arcA Delta crp crpasterisk Delta adhE Delta frdA Delta pta Delta ldhA Delta mgsA (atoB+) and fadR atoC(c) Delta arcA Delta crp crpasterisk Delta adhE Delta frdA Delta pta Delta ldhA Delta mgsA (yqeF+ fucO+).    EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.