Studies on olivoretins indicate a requirement for a free hydroxyl group for teleocidin B activity.

Three olivoretins, A, B and C (isolated from Streptoverticillium olivoreticuli), which are O-methylated teleocidin B isomers, were found to be biologically inactive. A fourth olivoretin, D, which has a free hydroxyl group and is identical to one of the four teleocidin B isomers, teleocidin B-4 (teleocidin B of Hirata) was biologically active. These findings indicate that the free primary hydroxyl group of teleocidin B isomers is necessary for activity. The effect on biological activity of the structural difference between des-O-methylolivoretin B (teleocidin B-1) and des-O-methylolivoretin C was also studied.