Antibiotic Substances from Basidiomycetes

Abstract

2 fungi, C. similis and L. degener, form an antibacterial substance in the cultural medium. The crystalline material was isolated almost quantitatively with ether or CHCl3. The same substance is isolated in both cases and has the same bacterial spectra. The material was identified as 5-methoxyl-p-toluquinone. It showed typical quinone behavior; its melting point agreed; analysis established an empirical formula of C8H8O3; it under-went the same reactions and gave products with the reported melting points; and the absorption spectrum agreed.