Biosynthesis of Mikrolin

Abstract
Mikrolin (8) and dechloromikrolin (9) have been shown to exist as tautomeric mixtures in solution. The structures of mono‐O‐trifluoroacetyl Mikrolin (10) and di‐O‐acetyl Mikrolin (11) have been elucidated. The products 15 to 23 from reduction of the metabolites 8 9 with Pd/C and Zn in aqueous acetic acid have been identified. The 13C‐NMR. spectra of Mikrolin (8) and dechloromikrolin (9) and their derivatives have been completely assigned Based on the results of incorporation experiments with sodium [1‐13C]‐, [2‐13C]‐ and [1, 2‐13C]‐acetate, a biosynthetic pathway is proposed for Mikrolin (8).