Some observations on the metabolites of Phoma species

Fifteen strains of Phoma species were examined for their production of toxic metabolite (s). Although three of them showed the toxicity for cultured HeLa cells and mice and the metabolites were not identical with the known metabolites, attempts to isolate toxic principle (s) were abandoned due to their instability. In the course of the work cynodontin (3), 6-methylsalicylic acid, an unidentified phenolic of mp 191-193°, and a chromanone (4) were isolated. The chromanone (4) was proved to be (2R)-5-hydroxy-6-(2'-hydroxyethyl)-7-methoxy-2-methylchromanone.