Biotransformation of 1,8-cineole, the main product of Eucalyptus oils

the forest industry in uruguay has grown considerably during the last decade. eucalyptus plantations account for 74% of the forested land, with eucalyptus globulus being the most widely distributed species. this industry is dedicated exclusively to the production of wood without exploiting the by-products (leaves and small branches). eucalyptus leaves are known to contain important amounts of essential oils composed primarily of 1,8-cineole (1,3,3-trymethyl-2-oxabicyclo[2.2.2]octane). in this work, the biotransformation of 1,8-cineole, is achieved using a native bacterium (rhodococcus sp.) which was isolated from the soil of eucalyptus forest. a 98% of bioconversion was achieved. three different optically pure compounds were obtained, and they were identified as 2-endo-hydroxy-1,8-cineole, 2-exo-hydroxy-1,8-cineole and 2-oxo-1,8-cineole.