1997 Volume 50 Issue 4 Pages 330-333
The structures of two novel fungal antibiotics, isolated from a Pterula species, that interfere with the NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase and inhibit the respiration of eucaryotes, were determined by spectroscopic techniques. Both compounds, pterulinic acid (1a) and pterulone (2), contain a 1-benzoxepin ring system and are chlorinated. Pterulinic acid (1a), which was obtained as a 1:5 inseparable mixture of the two isomers (Z)-1a and (E)-1a, in addition contains a furan. Their structures were determined by mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy, and 2D heteronuclear correlation experiments permitted the assignment of all NMR signals.