Natural Occurrence of Enantiomeric and <i>meso</i>‐Astaxanthin 1. <i>Ex</i> Lobster Eggs (<i>Homarus gammarus</i>)

Abstract

Abstract Astaxanthin ( 1 ; 3,3′‐dihydroxy‐β,β‐carotene‐4,4′‐dione) isolated from lobster eggs (Homarus gammarus) was unexpectedly found to be a mixture of all three optical isomers as determined by HPLC. analysis of the corresponding diesters of (–)‐camphanic acid. This is the first finding of meso ‐astaxanthin and a meso ‐carotenoid in general in nature.