Can. J. Chem.
53,295 (1975).(3S,6S)3-Benzyl-6-hydroxymethyl-1,4dimethyl-3,6-epitetrathiopiperazine-2,5-dione has been isolated from cultures of Hynlodendron sp. The same compound is produced when hyalodendrin is heated with methanol -hydrochloric acid. The fungitoxic epidithiodioxopiperazine hyalodendrin, 1, and the corresponding di(methy1-thio) ether, 2, both with 3S,6S configuration have recently been isolated from culture filtrates of Hyalodendron sp. (1-3). Metabolites 1 and 2, and the trisulfide 3, of undetermined absolute configuration, were obtained from cultures of an unidentified fungus (NRRL 3888) (4). The metabolite 1, with R configuration at positions 3 and 6, and compounds 2 and 4, evidently belonging to the same stereochemical series, are produced by Penicillium turbatum (5). Gliovictin, a metabolite of Helminthosporium victoriae also has structure 2 (6) and is likewise enantiomeric (3R,6R) with the corresponding Hyalodendron product.We record here some observations made during a study of the 3S,6S tetrasulfide 4, isolated from fermentations of Hyalodendron sp. This compound, Cl,H16N,0,S,, was present in chloroform extracts of the filtered culture medium in amounts which ranged up to 3% of the yield of pure hyalodendrin. It was slightly more polar than the latter, and could be separated and purified by preparative-layer chromatography, followed by crystallization. Comparison of the spectral characteristics of 4 (see Experimental section) with those of its co-metabolites 1 and 2 leave no doubt as to its constitution. Comparison of the circular dichroism curve of the Hyalodendron tetrasulfide (see Experimental section) with that published for the Penicillium metabolite (5) establishes that these compounds are enantiomeric at positions 3 and 6. A detailed discussion of the geometry of the tetrasulfide system of 4 is deferred at this stage, although it is noted that the synthetic compound N,N1 -dimethyl -3,6 -epitetrathiopiperazine -2,5-dione and sporidesmin G have been shown by X-ray analysis to be structurally similar with respect to the epitetrathiodioxopiperazine moiety (7,8).A tetrasulfide, identical in all respects (including c.d. spectrum) with the Hyalodendron tetrasulfide, was obtained in modest yield when hyalodendrin was refluxed in methanolic hydrochloric acid until no starting material remained (t.1.c.). By-products from this transformation, depleted in sulfur, resisted preliminary purificaCan. J. Chem. Downloaded from www.nrcresearchpress.com by 34.214.212.150 on 05/12/18For personal use only.