AROMATIZATION OF 9 ALPHA-HYDROXY-19-NORANDROSTENEDIONE BY ARTHROBACTER-SIMPLEX

9α‐Hydroxy‐19‐norandrostenedionc (9α‐hydroxy‐Δ4‐estrene 3, 17‐dione) (IV) was prepared by fermentation of 19‐norandroslenedione with Corynespora melanis or Norcardia restriclus. When incubated with a growing culture of Arthrobacter simplex or its acetone‐dried cells, IV was converted to 9α‐hydroxyestronc (VII) and 9‐keto‐9, 10‐secoestrone (VI). 9α‐Hydroxyestrone undergoes spontaneous as well as enzymic dehydration to form Δ9(11)‐estrone (IX). Both VI and IX have been isolated and identified as such while VII was isolated as its 3‐acetate. Copyright © 1969 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.