MICROBIAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF ISOCUPRESSIC ACID

Microbial transformations of the labdane-diterpene isocupressic acid ( 1) with different microorganisms yielded several oxygenated metabolite s that were isolated and characterized by MS and NMR spectroscopic ana lyses. Nocardia aurantia (ATCC 12674) catalyzed the cleavage of the 13 ,14-double bond to yield a new nor-labdane metabolite, 2. Cunninghamel la elegans (-) (NRRL 1393) gave 7 beta-hydroxyisocupressic acid (3) an d labda-7,13(E)-diene-6 beta,15,-17-triol-19-oic acid (4), and Mucor m ucedo (ATCC 20094) gave 2 alpha-hydroxyisocupressic acid (5) and labda -8(17),14-diene-2 alpha,13-diol-19-oic acid (6).