Microbiological transformations of terpenes. III. Transformations of some mono- and sesqui-terpenes.

The action of Aspergillus niger on mono- and sesqui-terpenic hydrocarbons, such as carane, 3-carene, alpha-santalene, and humulene was studied in shake cultures. Carane, Delta3-carene, and humulene proved to be rather resistant to oxygenation by the experimental strain of A. niger. Carene yielded a hydroxyketone, C(10)H(14)O(2), in poor yields after prolonged fermentation. The sesqui-terpene hydrocarbon, alpha-santalene, was degraded mainly to an acid, tere-santalic acid. Two hydroxylated products were also obtained from alpha-santalene, viz., tere-santalol and an alcohol, C(15)H(24)O.