Metabolites with nematicidal and antimicrobial activities from the ascomycete Lachnum papyraceum (Karst.) Karst. III. Production of novel isocoumarin derivatives, isolation, and biological activities.

During investigations on the influence of CaBr2 on the secondary metabolism of Lachnum papyraceum, the production of mycorrhizins and lachnumon type antibiotics was strongly inhibited in bromide-containing culture media. Instead, six isocoumarin derivatives, 6-hydroymellein (6), 4-chloro-6-hydroxymellein (7), 4-bromo-6-hydroxymellein (9), 6-methoxymellein (10). 4-chloro-6-methoxymellein (11), and 4-chloro-6,7-dihydroxymellein (12) were isolated. Compounds 7, 9, 11, and 12 have never been isolated from natural sources. 6-Hydroxymellein has been isolated previously from many sources including Gilmaniella humicola and proposed to be a precursor of mycorrhizin A (see reference 6). In comparison to the mycorrhizins, the isocoumarin derivatives exhibited only weak antimicrobial, cytotoxic, phytotoxic, and nematicidal activities.