Structure of the Antibiotic Moenomycin A

Abstract

The coupling of the (known) structural units, A‐B‐C and D‐E‐F‐G‐H‐I in moenomycin, has been explained by a combination of degradation, and high resolution mass‐ and 1 H‐NMR‐spectroscopic studies. Moenomycin is one of the most active inhibitors of bacterial cell wall biosynthesis; now that the structure is known the determination of the important characteristics of its antibiotic activity should follow.