Studies on microbial transformations. XVIII. Microbiological transformation of 1-alpha-santonin.

The microbial transformation of a sesquiterpene lactone, 1-alpha-santonin was carried out by Streptomyces roseochromogenes NRRL-B-1233. The product obtained from 1-alpha-santonin was purified using silica gel column chromatography with 1% acetone-benzene as the eluant. The molecular weight of the product was 248, estimated by mass spectroanalysis. The product was assigned the chemical structure of 1,2-dihydro-1-alpha santonin on the bases of 1H and 13C-NMR and mass spectroanalyses. Similar products were also obtained from other actinomycetes. The conversion of 1-alpha-santonin to 1,2-dihydro-1-alpha-santonin was 28% for Streptomyces roseochromogenes NRRL-B-1233, 14% for S. roseochromogenes ATCC 13400, 30.9% for S. aureofaciens KCC-S-0008, and 43.0% for S. aureofaciens KCC-S-0624, respectively.