Microbial transformation of 3-desoxy-dihydromorphinanes

3-Desoxymorphinanes should be transformed by microbial hydroxylation of the aromatic ring to morphinanes. Instead of this reaction the investigated N-derivatives (H, CH3, COCH2OH and COCH2OCH2CH3) are reduced by several fungi to the 6-(R)-hydroxy structures. Rhizopus achlamydosporus cleaved additionally the ethoxy-acetyl-group to a hydroxy-acetate.