Production of a New Type of Bioactive Phenolic Compound

Peroxidase (POD) catalyzed the polymerization of naturally occurring phenolics to give a variety of bioactive products. The guaiacol readily reacted in the POD system and afforded potential anti-microbial compounds. Three active phenols, 1, 2, and 3, were isolated from the reaction mixture. Spectroscopic analyses elucidated that 1 and 2 were a dimer and a trimer respectively originating from guaiacol. Compound 3 was readily oxidized to 4 by exposure to air. The structure of 4 was determined by a combination of chemical modification and spectroscopic analyses, and 3 was elucidated to be the hydroxyquinone form of 4.