The use of ²H n.m.r. spectroscopy and β-isotopic shifts in the ¹³C n.m.r. spectrum to measure deuterium retention in the biosynthesis of the polyketide 6-methylsalicylic acid

Abstract

A comparison is made between the use of ²H n.m.r. spectroscopy and β-isotopic shifts in the ¹³C n.m.r. spectrum for measurement of deuterium incorporation from [2-²H₃]acetate into the polyketide 6-methylsalicylic acid (2); a high degree of retention is observed for the chain-building sites but the distribution of deuterium is not uniform.