New Clerodane Diterpenes from Fungal Biotransformation of the 3,12-Dioxo-15,16-Epoxy-4-Hydroxycleroda-13(16),14-Diene

Terpenes, with approximately 30,000 compounds, are considered one of the most important classes of natural products isolated from plants. They have high economic value and have applications in several areas such as pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Among the terpenes, diterpenes are notable by exhibiting anti-microbial, insecticidal, anti-carcinogenic, anti-diabetic and neurobiological activities [1-3]. Microbial transformations of diterpenes have been reported as an alternative tool to furnish new derivatives [4]. Advantages of using this kind of enzyme transformation include high level of regio-and stereoselectivity, require mild reaction conditions and are important steps to introduce functional groups into inaccessible sites of the molecules, producing rare structures [3-6].