Abstract
The conversion of (-)-carvone and (+)-carvone by a strain of Aspergillus niger was studied as one of the series of biochemical reduction of terpenes.
(-)-Carvone was found to be reduced essentially to (+)-neodihydrocarveol, although (+)-dihydrocarvone and (+)-isodihydrocarvone were also formed in small amounts, whereas (+)-carvone was converted to (-)-isodihydrocarvone, (-)-isodihydrocarveol, (-)-neoisodi-hydrocarveol, (-)-dihydrocarvone, (-)-neodihydrocarveol, and (+)-dihydrocarveol, of which the former three were the major products.
The metabolic pathways for (-)-carvone and (+)-earvone by the strain of Aspergillus niger are discussed and the results on microbial and chemical reductions of carvone and dihydrocarvone are summarized.
