Hydroxylation of 2H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2-ones by Streptomyces species

About 400 identified and unidentified Streptomyces stock cultures were examined for their capacity to hydroxylate benzodiazepines. Ten cultures (Streptomyces sp. S-3, S-4, S-12, S-19, S-60, S-120, S-145, St. flavus ATCC 3369, St. griseochromogeneus ATCC 14,511 and St. chartreusis ATCC 14,922) were found to hydroxylate 2H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2-ones in the 3-position of the seven-membered ring. The transformation products were isolated and identified. The culture conditions of Streptomyces sp. S-145 for the production of 7-chloro-1,3-dihydro-3-hydroxy-5-(2′-fluorophenyl)-2H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2-one (IIIb) were studied.