Patent ID: 6165757
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: C12P

Abstract:
A process for the preparation of a compound of the formula ##STR3## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, --OH, alkyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl of 3 to 10 carbon atoms and aryl of 6 to 10 carbon atoms and aralkyl of 7 to 11 carbon atoms, the latter two optionally containing at least one hetero atom, R.sup.3 is R.sup.1 CO-- or R.sup.1 COO--, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, --OR.sup.1, --COR.sup.1 and --COOR"", R"" is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl of 3 to 10 carbon atoms and aryl of 6 to 10 carbon atoms and aralkyl of 7 to 11 carbon atoms, the latter two optionally containing at least one hetero atoms or R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 together with the carbon atoms form a six membered ring having one or two oxygen atoms, R.sup.6 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, --OH and alkyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, the alkyl, alkoxy, cycloalkyl, aryl and aralkyl may be substituted with at least one member of the group consisting of halogen, --CF.sub.3, --OH and alkoxy of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, w, x, y and z individually represent 0, 1 or 2 double bonds with the proviso that combination w and x, x and y, y and z independently represent maximally one double bond and a salt or isomer thereof comprising culturing a microorganism in a culture medium comprising an assimilable nitrogen source and an assimilable carbon source to allow the microorganism to produce the compound of Formula I wherein at least part of the nitrogen source is continuously or intermittently supplied to the culture with the proviso that the nitrogen source is not supplied to the culture continuously at a rate of 3.5 mg of a nitrogen per kg of culture per hour.