MICROBIAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF NATURAL ANTI-TUMOR AGENTS .8. FORMATION OF 8-HYDROXYELLIPTICINES AND 9-HYDROXYELLIPTICINES

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 7  (4) , 211-214
Abstract
Microbial transformations [for the purpose of obtaining potential antitumor derivatives] of ellipticine [isolated from Ochrosia and Aspidosperma] with Aspergillus alliaceus (NRRL 315) yielded 2 phenolic metabolites which were isolated and characterized as 8- and 9-hydroxyellipticines. The latter is a major metabolite and its structure was determined by NMR and mass-spectrometric analyses, and by comparison with authentic 9-hydroxyellipticine prepared by chemical demethylation of 9-methoxyellipticine. The structure of 8-hydroxyellipticine was determined primarily by NMR spectrometry. Whereas 8-hydroxyellipticine is a new derivative, 9-hydroxyellipticine has been described, and it is one of the major mammalian metabolites of the antitumor alkaloid ellipticine.