Synthesis of the metabolite N-hydroxy-desferrioxamine B.

N-Hydroxy-desferrioxamine B (5), a postulated metabolite of the microbial product desferrioxamine B (1), has been prepared by reduction of the intermediate oxime 6 with sodium cyanoborohydride. The oxime was obtained by selective oxidation of desferrioxamine B with hydrogen peroxide and a catalytic amount of sodium tungstate dihydrate. The iron complex derived from 5 enabled definite proof of the structure of one of four metabolites of desferrioxamine B found in urine samples of patients treated with this drug.