Oxidative Degradation of Aromatic Hydrocarbons by Microorganisms. II. Metabolism of Halogenated Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Abstract

Pseudomonas putida, grown with toluene as sole source of carbon, oxidized chloro-, bromo-, iodo-, and fluorobenzenes to their respective 3-halogenated catechol derivatives. The dihydroxy compounds from the first three substrates above were identified by isolation and comparison with synthetic compounds. The investigation of the metabolism of p-chlorotoluene resulted in the isolation of two compounds which have been identified as (+)-cis-4-chloro-2,3-dihydroxy-1- methylcyclohexa-4,6-diene and 4-chloro-2,3-dihydroxy- 1-methylbenzene. The enzymatic dehydrogenation of the former compound into the latter catechol has been demonstrated. The role of m-glycols in the microbial metabolism of aromatic compounds is discussed with references to known pathways in mammals. © 1968, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.