Biocatalytic allylic hydroxylation of unsaturated triterpenes and steroids by Bacillus megaterium CGMCC 1.1741.

Abstract In this study, we described the microbial catalyzed allylic oxidation by Bacillus megaterium CGMCC 1.1741 of three Δ12-pentacyclic triterpenes, erythrodiol (1), uvaol (2), hederagenin (3) and of four steroids including Δ5-steroids, diosgenin (4), pennogenin (5), 25(R,S)-ruscogenin (6) and Δ4-steroid, diosgenone (7). As a result, fourteen metabolites were generated with allyl hydroxyl moiety. Ten (1a-c, 2a, 2c, 3a, 5a-b, and 6a-b) of them were new natural products and their structures were determined on the basis of 1D/2D NMR and HR-MS data. Biocatalytic allylic oxidation by B. megaterium CGMCC 1.1741 is thus a potential non-toxic and efficient alternative method toward metal-mediated oxidation procedures in the synthesis of natural products and medicines.