MICROBIAL FORMATION OF CAPARRAPIDIOL AND DERIVATIVES FROM TRANS-NEROLIDOL

Of 60 fungi and 40 bacteria, five strains, all belonging to the genus Fusarium, were able to hydrate (S)-trans-nerolidol to caparrapidiol. F usarium moniliforme DSM 764 and F. tabacinum DSM 2125 oxidized trans-n erolidol to six new derivatives of caparrapidiol which were characteri zed. These products served to elucidate the absolute configuration of the naturally occurring caparrapidiol. Six further strains, again all Fusarium spp., hydrated geranylacetone at the inner double bond. The e cological implications of this rather rare biotransformation reaction are briefly discussed.