Lanosterol derivatives as precursors in the biosynthesis of viridin. Part 1

Abstract

¹⁴ C-Labelled lanosterol derived from sodium [1-¹⁴C]acetate was efficiently incorporated into the aromatic-C-ring steroid viridin, confirming its derivation via a normal steroidal biosynthetic pathway. Studies with [G-³H]lanostene oxidation products were carried out to determine their relative efficiency as precursors of viridin in an attempt to identify the intermediates between lanosterol and viridin. The [G-³H]lanosterol was obtained by catalytic exchange labelling with ³H₂O and principal sites of exchange in the sterol were identified by degradation experiments.