Microbial oxidation of oleic acid

Screening experiments concerned with the bioconversion of oleic acid were described. Resting cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae hydrated oleic acid into 10-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid, while Mycobacterium fortuitum, Nocardia sp. and Nocardia aurantia all converted oleic acid into 10-oxo-octadecanoic acid. The Baeyer-Villiger chemical oxidation of 10-oxo-octadecanoic acid confirmed the position of oxygenation in the fatty acid ketone. Furthermore, a simple nuclear magnetic resonance spectral technique measured the stereochemical purity of hydroxy fatty acids.