Investigation of brominated tryptophan alkaloids from two thorectidae sponges: Thorectandra and Smenospongia.

Chemical investigation of an NCI-DTP collection of Thorectandra sp. and a UCSC collection of Smenospongia sp. yielded six new brominated tryptophan derivatives: 6-bromo-1'-hydroxy-1',8-dihydroaplysinopsin (4), 6-bromo-1'-methoxy-1',8-dihydroaplysinopsin (5), 6-bromo-1'-ethoxy-1',8-dihydroaplysinopsin (6), (-)-5-bromo-N,N-dimethyltryptophan (7), (+)-5-bromohypaphorine (8), and 6-bromo-1H-indole-3-carboxylic acid methyl ester (11). Additionally, the known compounds aplysinopsin (1), 1',8-dihydroaplysinopsin (2), 6-bromo-1',8-dihydroaplysinopsin (3), (1H-indole-3-yl)acetic acid (9), and (6-bromo-1H-indol-3-yl)acetic acid methyl ester (10) were also encountered. The structures of 4-8 and 11 were confirmed on the basis of analysis of (1)H and (13)C (1D and 2D) NMR data as well as comparison to known compounds. Compounds 1, 3-8, 10, and 11 were found to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis with either weak or moderate MICs.