Biogeneration of (E,E)-2,4-hexadienal and (E)-4-hexen-1-ol from sorbic acid by Colletotrichum gloeosporoides cultures

Growing cultures of Colletotrichum gloeosporoides CBS 193.32 reductively tr ansformed sorbic acid 10 and the structurally related isomeric mono-unsatur ated acids 11 and 12 into the corresponding unsaturated and saturated alcoh ols. In the case of 10 and 12, there was accumulation in the fermentation m edium of up to 25% and 10%, respectively, of the intermediate aldehydes 7 a nd 5. The process, if applied to acid 10 of extractive botanical origin, wo uld represent an access to the natural forms of the C-6 odorants (E,E)-2,4- hexadienal 7 and (E)-4-hexen-1-ol 9. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.