The chemical synthesis of 9-hydroxyolivacine and 7-hydroxyolivacine based on a biomimetic approach is described. These two hydroxylated derivatives have been found as main in vitro metabolites of olivacine after incubation with rat hepatic microsomes. The pretreatment of animals with benzo [a] pyrene caused a large increase in both microsomal hydroxylations, whereas the pretreatment with phenobarbital caused a weak increase, ...