Some Recent Studies on Carotenoids and Related Compounds

Studies on models synthesized by stereochemically controlled routes show that the central triene chromophore in the common cis isomer of phytoene has the irans,cis,trans configuration, and that the phytoene from Flavobacterium dehydrogenans consists mainly of the all-trans isomer. Capsorubin, with the natural configuration at all four chiral centres, has been synthesized from (+)-camphor. Several routes have been developed for the synthesis of(±)-azafrin. Mytiloxanthin and isomytiloxanthin, two pigments from Mytilus edulis, have been identified as novel acetylenic carotenoids.