The molecule is an alpha,beta-unsaturated ester resulting from the formal condensation of the alcoholic hydroxy group of 9-hydroxynonanoic acid with the carboxy group of (2E)-4-[(2S)-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl]-3-methylbut-2-enoic acid in which the tetrahydropyranyl ring is substituted at positions 3 and 4 by hydroxy groups and at position 5 by a {(2S,3S)-3-[(2S,3S)-3-hydroxybutan-2-yl]oxiran-2-yl}methyl group. Originally isolated from the Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens, it is used as a topical antibiotic for the treatment of Gram-positive bacterial infections. It has a role as a bacterial metabolite, an antibacterial drug and a protein synthesis inhibitor. It is a monocarboxylic acid, a member of oxanes, an epoxide, a secondary alcohol, a triol and an alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic ester. It is a conjugate acid of a mupirocin(1-).
9-[(E)-4-[(2S,3R,4R,5S)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-[[(2S,3S)-3-[(2S,3S)-3-hydroxybutan-2-yl]oxiran-2-yl]methyl]oxan-2-yl]-3-methylbut-2-enoyl]oxynonanoic acid