Microbial hydroxylation of S-(-)-perillyl alcohol by Fusarium heterosporium.

S-(-)-Perillyl alcohol (p-mentha-1, 8-diene-7-ol) (1) (500 mg) was converted by Fusarium heterosporium ATCC 15625 over 10 days at 25 degrees C to a new metabolite, 1,2-dihydroxyperillyl alcohol (p-mentha-8-en-1,2,7-triol) (3) in a yield of 13% (70 mg). The structure of 3 was established by IR and NMR spectroscopic, specific rotation, and mass spectral studies.