Microbial transformation of artificial estrogens of the allenolic group

When 2,2-dimethyl 3-(2'-naphthyl 6'-hydroxy) pentanoic acid, an artificial estrogen of the allenolic acid group, was added to an exponential-phase growth culture of Neurospora crassa (in Horowitz medium), it was transformed into its hydroxylated derivative, 2,2-dimethyl 3-(2'-naphthyl 4',6'-dihydroxy)pentaoic acid. To study this transformation, radioactive 2-methyl-[2-14-C=A1methyl 3-(2'-naphthyl 6'-hydroxy) pentanoic acid has been prepared. The rate of metabolism of allenolic acids varies in the same way as their estrogenic activity.