Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026

Isolation and Screening from Soil Biodiversity for Fungi Involved in the Degradation of Recalcitrant Materials
Published on: May 16, 2022
Highly selective and asymmetric reductive biotransformation of α-ionone by Epicoccum purpurascens
Kazuya Shimizu1, Toshirou Ono, Mitsuo Miyazawa
1Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, Osaka, Japan.
Abstract:
The biotransformation of terpenoid C13 norisoprenoid (±)-α-ionone (1) using the plant pathogenic fungus Epicoccum purpurascens as a biocatalyst was investigated for the production of useful novel organic compounds. There are no reported biotransformations using E. purpurascens. The biotransformation of compound 1 via reduction of the C-9 ketone position yielded α-ionol (2) as the major metabolic product. Reduction of the racemic α-ionone [(-)-(6S)- and (+)-(6R)-] resulted in the exclusive formation of the two enantiomers (-)-(6S,9R)- and (+)-(6R,9S)-α-ionol (2). Thus, the enzymatic reduction of α-ionone by E. purpurascens proceeds with high asymmetry.
Related Concept Videos
Phase I Reactions: Reductive Reactions
Phase I Oxidative Reactions: Overview
Phase I Reactions: Oxidation of Aliphatic and Aromatic Carbon-Containing Systems
Oxidation reactions are fundamental in aromatic carbon-containing systems. An example is the hydroxylation of phenobarbital, a process that transforms it into...
Sharpless Epoxidation
Reactions of Aldehydes and Ketones: Baeyer–Villiger Oxidation
The carbonyl center is activated by...
Benzene to 1,4-Cyclohexadiene: Birch Reduction Mechanism
![Cercosporin-Photocatalyzed [4+1]- and [4+2]-Annulations of Azoalkenes Under Mild Conditions](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F60786.jpg&w=3840&q=50)