Stereochemistry of culmorin biosynthesis
Abstract
The labelling pattern in the sesquiterpenoid culmorin biosynthesised from [2(S)-2-3H,2-14C]- and [5(R)-5-3H,2-14C]-mevalonate shows that the endo-C-10 proton originates from the 2(S) position whilst the C-11 hydroxy-group has displaced a pro-5(R) proton; in contrast to dendrobine an eleven-membered ring is implicated, and a pro-5(S)-mevalonoid proton migrates at an early stage in the biosynthesis.