| abstract |
The present invention relates to the preparation of a product compound having a structure according to formula IA and / or IB wherein n is 0 or 1; R 1 is hydrogen or hydroxy, R 2 is hydrogen; or, when n is 0, R1 and R2 together form a second bond between the carbon atoms bearing R1 and R2 provided that when n is equal to 1, R1 and R2 are each hydrogen; R 3 is -COOH or -COOR 4; R 4 is an alkyl or aryl residue; A, B and D are substituents of their rings, each of which may be different or equal, and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogens, alkyl, hydroxy and alkoxy. This method involves incubating an starting compound having a structure of formula IIA and / or IIB wherein R3 is -CH3 and R1, R2, A, B and D are defined above. In the presence of a microorganism under conditions effective to produce the product compound. The microorganism may be from the genus Streptomyces, Stemphylium, Gliocladium, Bacillus, Botrytis, Cyathus, Rhizopus, Pycniodosphora, Pseudomonas, Helicostylum, Aspergillus, Mucor, Gelasinospora, Rhodotorula, Candida, Mycobacterium, or Penicillium. Alternatively, the microorganism may be Cunninghamella bainieri. |