Isolation, structure elucidation and biological activity of 8-O-methylaverufin and 1,8-O-dimethylaverantin as new antifungal agents from Penicillium chrysogenum

In the screening of fungi for bioactive components, 8-0-methylaverufin (1b) and 1,8-O-dimethylaverantin (2b) were isolated from the culture broth of Penicillium chrysogenum. The structure of these new antibiotics were determined by interpretation of the 1D and 2D NMR spectra and by comparison of the NMR data with those of the structurally related averufin (la) and averantin (2a). Both compounds have moderate antifungal activity.