4-Hydroxyphenethyl alcohol--a new cytokinin-like substance from the phototrophic purple bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum 1R.

Three compounds with cytokinin activity have been isolated from the medium of Rhodospirillum rubrum grown photosynthetically. Two N-6 aminopurine cytokinins revealed in the medium were identical with those obtained from R. rubrum cells previously. The third compound with cytokinin activity in Amaranthus caudatus bioassay proved to be a simple phenolic compound with elemental composition C8H10O2. This cytokinin-like substance according to absorption spectra, mass spectrometry and 1H NMR spectra data was identified as 4-hydroxyphenethyl alcohol.