Penitricin, a new class of antibiotic produced by Penicillium aculeatum. III. Structural confirmation by chemical synthesis and biological activity.

A novel antibiotic, penitricin showing anti-Gram-negative activity, has been isolated from the culture filtrate of Penicillium aculeatum. Chemical and physico-chemical studies determined the structure of penitricin as hydroxymethylcyclopropenone (1), which was confirmed by chemical synthesis from propargyl alcohol. Biological activity of penitricin and several cyclopropenones as well as two metabolites, penitricins B and C was compared.