Bamberger Rearrangement during TNT Metabolism by Clostridium acetobutylicum

Studies were conducted to isolate and identify polar and oxygen-sensitive intermediates of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) transformation by Clostridium acetobutylicum. Studies conducted in anaerobic cell extracts demonstrated that a polar product formed from the transformation of 2,4-dihydroxylamino-6-nitrotoluene by a mechanism known as the Bamberger rearrangement. The product was stabilized by derivatization with acetic anhydride, and the structure was confirmed by mass spectroscopy, 1H NMR, and IR spectroscopy techniques. The reaction occurred in the presence of cell extract and H2 but did not occur in cell extract-free controls. From spectroscopic data, the product of 2,4-dihydroxylamino-6-nitrotoluene rearrangement was identified as either 2-amino-4-hydroxylamino-5-hydroxyl- 6-nitrotoluene (4-amino-6-hydroxylamino-3-methyl-2-nitrophenol) or 2-hydroxylamino-4-amino-5-hydroxyl-6-nitrotoluene (6-amino-4-hydroxylamino-3-methyl-2-nitrophenol). Acid-catalyzed rearrangement of 2,4-dihydroxylamino-6-nitrotoluen...