Abstract
The Penicillium frequentans strain Bi 7/2, using phenol as a sole source of carbon and energy,transformed the fluorinated phenols 2,3-, 2,4-, 2,5-and 3,4-difluorophenol rapidly. After growth on phenol, resting mycelia of the fungus converted the difluorophenols completely at an initial concentration of 0.5 mM within 6 hours. The corresponding difluorinated catechols were found to be intermediates of all difluorophenols investigated. A relatively unspecific phenol hydroxylase catalyzed this hydroxylation step and showed activities towards all difluorophenols tested. One difluorocatechol was formed from each difluorophenol substituted with fluorine in the ortho-position, whereas two catechols were formed from 3,4-difluorophenol, due to its two vacant ortho-positions. A partial defluorination (50-77%) was observed in all cases.
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Wunderwald, U., Hofrichter, M., Kreisel, G. et al. Transformation of difluorinated phenols by Penicillium frequentans Bi 7/2. Biodegradation 8, 379–385 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008230926973
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008230926973