Biotransformation of pinenes XVII. Transformation of α‐and β‐pinenes by means of Armillariella mellea (honey fungus), a parasite of woodlands

A culture of Armillariella mellea species was adapted to carry out microbial transformations of (+), (‐), and (±)‐α‐pinene magnified image and (‐)‐β‐pinene magnified image . The composition of products obtained indicated that allylic hydroxylation of all substrates was the most characteristic reaction for Armillariella mellea species. The hydroxylation occurred either directly in unchanged pinane skeleton yielding among other compounds verbenol ( magnified image ) and verbenone ( magnified image ) or was preceded by a cleavage of four‐membered rings in substrates to form a menthane skeleton. The latter reaction leads to allylic alcohols and diols, mainly trans‐sobrerol ( magnified image ) and 7‐hydroxy‐α‐terpineol ( magnified image ).