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Updated: May 8, 2026

Preparation of Enantiopure Non-Activated Aziridines and Synthesis of Biemamide B, D, and epiallo-Isomuscarine
Published on: June 13, 2022
Bioreduction of aryl azides during mutasynthesis of new ansamitocins
Lena Mancuso1, Gerrit Jürjens, Jekaterina Hermane
1Institut für Organische Chemie und Biomolekulares Wikstoffzentrum (BMWZ) der Leibniz Universität Hannover, Schneiderberg 1B, 30167 Hannover, Germany.
Abstract:
Supplementing a culture of a mutant strain of Actinosynnema pretiosum that is unable to biosynthesize aminohydroxy benzoic acid (AHBA), with 3-azido-5-hydroxy-benzoic acid and 3-azido-5-amino-benzoic acid, unexpectedly yielded anilino ansamitocins instead of the expected azido derivatives. This is the first example of the bioreduction of organic azides. The unique nature of these results was demonstrated when 3-azido-5-amino-benzoic acid was fed to the corresponding AHBA blocked mutant of Streptomyces hygroscopicus, the geldanamycin producer. This mutasynthetic experiment yielded the fully processed azido derivative of geldanamycin.
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