BIOTRANSFORMATION OF ENT-BEYERENONES BY RHIZOPUS NIGRICANS AND CURVULARIA-LUNATA CULTURES

We have demonstrated the biotransformation of ent-7 alpha,18-diacetoxy beyer-15-en-14-one, ent-14 beta,18-diacetoxybeyer-15-en-7-one and ent- 1 beta-acetoxy-17-hydroxybeyer-15-en-12-one by Rhizopus nigricans and Curvularia lunata cultures. Rhizopus nigricans metabolized the indicat ed substrates at higher yields than C. lunata to give hydroxylations a t C-3, C-1 and C-12, if the substrates were functionalized at C-7, C-1 4 and C-18. However, when the substrates were functionalized at C-1, C -12 and C-17, R. nigricans hydroxylated at C-19 and C. lunata at C-18.