ISOLATION AND CHEMICAL STRUCTURE OF AKLANONIC ACID, AN EARLY INTERMEDIATE IN THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF ANTHRACYCLINES

Abstract

The fermentation, isolation and structure elucidation of aklanonic acid are described. The compound was isolated from fermentations of Streptomyces strain ZIMET 43, 717. Aklanonic acid is a yellow-orange crystalline substance, melting at 203-204°C (dec), having the molecular formula C₂₁H₁₆O₈, and possessing UV maxima at 258, 282 (sh) and 438 nm (CHCl₃). In dimethyl sulfoxide or pyridine aklanonic acid is unstable and a new compound (aklanone) is formed as a conversion product. The elucidation of the structures has shown that aklanonic acid and aklanone are derivatives of 1, 8-dihydroxyanthraquinone.