Isolation of Isodrimenediol, a possible intermediate of drimane biosynthesis from Polyporus arcularius

Isodrimenediol, 5-(hydroxymethyl)-1,1,4a-trimethyl-6-methylenedecahydronaphthalen-2-ol (1), was isolated as a new microbial metabolite from Polyporus arcularius DSM 1021. The strain coproduces 7-drimene-3,11,12-triol (3) and two related drimane metabolites (4 and 5), suggesting that 1 is the first intermediate of biosynthesis of drimane-type structures.