METABOLITES OF THE HIGHER FUNGI .30. THREO-TELFAIRIC AND ERYTHRO-TELFAIRIC ACID AND 2,3-DIDEHYDROTELFAIRIC ANHYDRIDE FROM THE FUNGUS XYLARIA-TELFAIRII

Three novel metabolites, threo- and erythro-telfairic acid [threo- and 3'E)-2-(4-carboxyhexa-1,3-dienyl)-3-methylsuccinic acid (3a and 3b)] as well as 2,3-didehydrotelfairic anhydride E,3'E)-2-(4-carboxyhexa-1, 3-dienyl)-3-methylmaleic anhydride (4)1] have been isolated from the c ulture medium of the fungus Xylaria telfairii Berk. Their structures ( apart from the absolute configuration of 3a and 3b) have been elucidat ed by chemical and physical methods.