Lilac aldehydes and lilac alcohols as metabolic by-products of fungal linalool biotransformation

Abstract

Nineteen different fungi were screened to test their capability to convert (±)-linalool into lilac aldehydes and lilac alcohols. Solid phase microextraction (SPME) in combination with GC-MS was used to identify the target compounds by comparing retention times and mass spectra with chemically synthesised standards. Most of the strains showed specific and complex product spectra, often with linalool oxides and dihydrolinalool as major metabolites. Aspergillus niger DSM 821, Botrytis cinerea 5901/02 and Botrytis cinerea 02/FB II/2.1 generated the desired lilac fragrance compounds as metabolic by-products.