METABOLITES PRODUCED BY THE SCLERODERRIS CANKER FUNGUS, GREMMENIELLA-ABIETINA .1.

The metabolites produced in liquid culture by the Ascomycetous fungus Gremmeniella abietina (Lagerb.) Morelet, the causative agent of Sclerodems canker in pines, have been investigated. The major metabolite, which we have named sclerodin, is (-)-4,7-dihydroxy-2,3,3,9-tetramethyl-2,3-dihydronaphtho[1,2-b]furan-5,6-dicarboxylainch ydride (I), the enantiomer of the so-called naphthalic anhydride from atrovenetin. Several highly colored compounds, including the enantiomer of atrovenetinone (3), the blue compound 6, the red acenaphthenequinone derivative 8 (sclerodione), and the yellow 8-hydroxysclerodin (12) were also obtained. The blue compound 6, named Sclerodems blue, has been prepared from 3, and sclerodione (8) has been transformed into sclerodin (1).