Antineoplastic agents 491. Synthetic conversion of aaptamine to isoaaptamine, 9-demethylaaptamine, and 4-methylaaptamine.

Aaptamine (1) was used as starting material for synthetic transformation to isoaaptamine (2), 9-demethylaaptamine (5), and 4-methylaaptamine (6). A general method for the selective O-demethylation of such 1H-benzo[de][1,6]-naphthyridine (1) marine sponge constituents at position C-9 has been developed. Selective O-demethylation of aaptamine (1) and 1-methylaaptamine (11) with 48% hydrobromic acid led to 9-demethylaaptamine (5) and isoaaptamine (2), respectively. A selection of other aaptamine derivatives were synthesized, and their structures were unambiguously determined by X-ray methods. In addition, their cancer cell growth inhibitory properties were evaluated against the murine P388 lymphocytic cell line and a minipanel of human cancer cell lines. Evaluation as inhibitors of the PKC signal transduction pathway and against a selection of microorganisms was also undertaken. Aaptamine derivatives 3 and 5 had broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities.