Novel Allylic Oxidation of alpha-Cedrene to sec-Cedrenol by a Rhodococcus Strain.

A bacterial strain, designated KSM-7358, that can use α-cedrene for growth was isolated. The strain was identified as a member of the genus Rhodococcus and catalyzed the novel allylic oxidation of α-cedrene regiospecifically to produce ( R )-10-hydroxycedrene ( sec -cedrenol) with a very high yield. α-Curcumene was also produced as a possible metabolite of sec -cedrenol. A possible pathway for the microbial conversion of α-cedrene to sec -cedrenol and α-curcumene is proposed.