Microbial Transformation of Some Natural and Synthetic Aromatic Compounds by Fungi: Aspergillus and Neurospora Strains

Abstract

Microbial transformation of chalcone (1), 4-hydroxychalcone (2) and 4′-hydroxychalcone (3), 1,1-diphenylmethane (4), 1,3-diphenylacetone (5), 1,3-diphenylpropane (6), bibenzyl (7), ( E)-stilbene (8a)- and ( Z)-stilbenes (8b), and phenylcyclohexane (9), (1 R,2 S)-1-phenyl-2-hydroxycyclohexane (9a) and (1 S,2 R)-1-phenyl-2-hydroxycyclohexane (9b), and a naturally occurring bis-bibenzyl, marchantin A (10) were performed by using Aspergillus niger TBUYN-2 and the other Aspergillus strains, and Neurospora crassa which were capable to hydrogenation and epoxidation of a conjugated double bond, and direct hydroxylation and hydroperoxidation on benzene ring, and hydroxylation and carbonization on cyclohexane ring. Aspergillus species converted chalcone (1) to dihydrochalcone (1a) almost quantitatively.