摘要:
The invention relates to a process for the preparation of water soluble primycin and to the separation of its components of formulae (A.sub.1) and (A.sub.3) either as single components or as a mixture of the two components. According to the invention(i) water insoluble primycin is reacted in a C.sub.1-3 alcohol with a condensable substance comprising a C--C--C bridge in the presence of sodium or potassium methoxide or ethoxide, the resulting product with a water solubility of 40-60 mg/ml is separated, and, if desired,(ii) the resulting substance is subjected to column chromatography on silica gel applying a 1% aqueous solution of Partridge mixture as eluting agent to obtain a mixture of components of formulae (A.sub.1) and (A.sub.3) with a water solubility of 50 mg/ml, and, if desired,(iii) the resulting two-component mixture is subjected to ion exchange chromatography applying carboxymethyl cellulose in ammonium cycle as adsorbent and eluting the adsorbent with aqueous ammonium hydrocarbonate solution to obtain the component of formula (A.sub.3) with a water solubility of 50 mg/ml in pure form, and, if desired,(iv) elution is continued with absolute methanol comprising 10 mmoles of acetic acid to obtain the component of formula (A.sub.1) with a water solubility of 10 mg/ml in pure form.