Biotransformation of terpene aldehydes, aromatic aldehydes and related compounds by Dunaliella tertiolecta

Abstract

Biotransformation of seven classes of monoterpene aldehydes and 21 classes of aromatic aldehydes and related compounds was carried out by Dunaliella tertiolecta cultured autophototrophically. The phytoflagellate reduced all saturated and unsaturated terpene aldehydes and most of aromatic and related aldehydes to corresponding primary alcohols. However, monosubstituted aromatic aldehydes such as salicyl aldehyde, p-hydroxy- and o-nitrobenzaldehydes and disubstituted aromatic aldehydes such as 2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzaldehyde, vanillin and ethyl vanillin were difficult to transform or not transformed. On the other hand, the CC double bond of the resulting α,β-unsaturated alcohols in the cases of cinnamyl alcohol and 2-methylcinnamyl alcohol was hydrogenated to the corresponding saturated alcohols.