Oxidation of the 22-hydrazone of ascomycin using manganese dioxide generate
s bt situ the reactive 22-diazo intermediate, which decomposes to give asco
mycin analogues with modified effector region. In dichloromethane several p
roducts are obtained, whereas in methanol a cyclopropane derivative is gene
rated as the main product starting from the hydrazone of both ascomycin and
FK 506. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.