4
874
Y. Feng et al. / Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 22 (2012) 4873–4876
fractionation of the CH
namoyl-amino acids, iotrochamides A (1) and B (2), which both dis-
played activity towards T. b. brucei.
The Australian sponge Iotrochota sp. (Order: Poecilosclerida,
Family: Iotrochotidae) was collected from the west side of Curacao
Island, Queensland, at a depth of 30 m by SCUBA diving in 1999. A
voucher sample (G314368) is stored at the Queensland Museum,
Brisbane, Australia. The freeze-dried and ground Iotrochota sp.
2
Cl
2
/MeOH extract afforded two new N-cin-
configuration of the amino acid residue in 1 was determined by
Marfey’s method. The acid hydrolysis of compound 1 followed
2
1
by derivatisation with Marfey’s reagent (FDAA, 1-fluoro-2,4-dini-
2
1
trophen-5-yl-
at 33.95 min in LC–MS analysis, in agreement with the standard
bis- -tyrosine FDAA derivative at 33.70 min, while a bis- -tyrosine
L-alanine amide) showed a bis-tyrosine FDAA peak
2
2
L
D
FDAA derivative gave a retention time of 36.38 min. This was con-
firmed by co-injections. The absolute configuration of the amino
(
(
10 g) was sequentially extracted with n-hexane, CH
4:1), and MeOH. The CH Cl /MeOH extracts were combined and
O/0.1%
TFA). Following biological evaluation, the active fractions were
combined and further purified by C18 HPLC (MeOH/H O/0.1%
2
Cl
2
/MeOH
acid residue in 1 was therefore
the D
L
-tyrosine. With the geometry of
double bond and the absolute configuration of the tyrosine
moiety determined, iotrochamide A was assigned as N-(Z)-2-meth-
oxycinnamoyl- -tyrosine.
Iotrochamide B (2) was also obtained as an optically active
2
,3
2
2
chromatographed using C18 bonded silica HPLC (MeOH/H
2
L
2
2
3
TFA) to yield two new N-cinnamoyl-amino acids, iotrochamides
A (1, 1.8 mg, 0.018% dry weight) and B (2, 1.4 mg, 0.014% dry
weight).
glassy solid. LRESIMS showed a cluster of two isotopic ions at
m/z 443 and 445 (1:1), suggesting the presence of one bromine
atom in the molecule. HRESIMS measurement on [M+Na] ion
(m/z 465.0416), in combination with H and C NMR spectroscopic
data (Table 1), supported the molecular formula of C21
with 13 double bond equiv. Comparison of the H and C NMR
spectroscopic data between 1 and 2 (Table 1) showed that 2 had
an identical N-cinnamoyl moiety as 1. The only difference between
1 and 2 was that the two aromatic doublets from the
idue in 1 were replaced by signals characteristic of a 3-(6-bromo)-
indole system in 2. These included three doublets (d 7.52, d,
+
1
13
Iotrochamide A (1) was obtained as an optically active glassy
1
8
+
solid. HRESIMS measurement on [M+Na] ion (m/z 364.1146),
H
19BrN
2 4
O
1
13
1
13
in combination with H and C NMR spectroscopic data (Table 1),
supported the molecular formula of C19 with 11 double
bond equiv. The H NMR spectrum of 1 displayed signals due to
two exchangeable protons (d 9.18 and 8.20), ten aromatic/olefinic
protons (d 6.59–7.64), one methine (d 4.49), one methylene (d
.96 and 3.05) and one methoxy group (d 3.49). Fifteen carbons
were observed in the C NMR spectrum, including two carbonyl
H19NO
5
1
L-tyrosine res-
H
H
H
H
2
H
H
1
3
J = 8.4 Hz; 7.50, d, J = 1.8 Hz; 7.20, d, J = 2.4 Hz), one doublet of dou-
blet (7.10, dd, J = 1.8 and 8.4 Hz;) and one broad indole-NH
2
3
(d
C
162.9 and 172.7), ten sp and three sp carbons.
The mono-substituted benzene ring was evident by the cou-
exchangeable proton (d
atom at the 6-position of the indole ring was determined by the
ROESY correlation between H-17 (d 7.50) and the indole-NH,
and confirmed by the detailed analysis of the HMBC correlations
(Fig. 1)
H
10.97). The placement of the bromine
pling patterns of five aromatic protons, including one doublet of
doublet of doublets (d 7.32, 1H, J = 7.8, 7.8, 1.2 Hz), and two dou-
blet of doublets (d 7.37, 2H, J = 7.8, 7.8 Hz; d 7.64, 2H, J = 7.8,
.2 Hz). An enamide group was established by the HMBC correla-
tions from an olefinic proton (d 6.59) and an exchangeable amide
proton to a conjugated carbonyl carbon (d 162.9) (Fig. 1). The
H
H
H
H
1
Comparison of the C-3 chemical shift between compound 1 and
H
2 (d
compound 2 also had a Z
confirmed by the ROESY correlation between H-5/9 (d
2-OMe (d 3.46) (Fig. 1). The Marfey’s method was not performed
on compound 2 as - and -6-bromotryptophan standards are not
C 6
117.4 and 117.3 respectively, in DMSO-d
) indicated that
double bond. This assignment was
7.62) and
C
2
,3
attachment of the enamide functionality to the benzene ring was
elucidated by the HMBC correlation from the same olefinic proton
D
H
to the aromatic carbon (d
the olefinic proton and methoxy protons (d
nary carbon (d 148.7) established the formation of an enol methyl
ether moiety. A para-substituted benzene ring was indicated by the
presence of two coupled aromatic doublets (d 7.05, 2H, J = 8.4 Hz
and d 6.65, 2H, J = 8.4 Hz). HMBC correlations from the aromatic
doublets and an exchangeable phenolic proton (d 9.18) to an aro-
matic oxygenated quaternary carbon (d 155.4) suggested that this
C
129.2). Further HMBC correlations from
H
2
3.49) to a sp quater-
L
D
H
available. However, compound 2 had the same sign of optical rota-
C
2
D
4
24
D
tion ½
c 0.2, MeOH) and compound 1 (½
ing a -6-bromotryptophan in 2. Iotrochamide B was therefore as-
signed as N-(Z)-2-methoxycinnamoyl- -6-bromotryptophan.
a
ꢀ
ꢁ12.5, c 0.1, MeOH) as that of
L
-tryptophan (½
a
ꢀ
= ꢁ54.3,
2
D
4
a
ꢀ
ꢁ13.6, c 0.1, MeOH), suggest-
H
L
H
L
H
Marine sponges belonging to the genus Iotrochota have been re-
C
benzene ring was a 4-hydroxyphenyl group. A 2-carboxy ethyl
moiety was established by the COSY correlation between the
ported to produce fatty acids, bromotyrosine derivatives, indole
2
4
and pyrrole alkaloids. Of the compounds isolated so far, iotrori-
2
5
26
methine (d
the ethyl group, and the HMBC correlations from the ethyl protons
to the carboxylic acid carbon (d 172.7) (Fig. 1). The 2-carboxy ethyl
H
4.49) and methylene (d
H
2.96 and 3.05) protons in
doside A and matemone displayed cytotoxic activity, while
2
7
purpurone
exhibited ATP-citrate lyase inhibition. Cinnamoyl
amides have been frequently isolated from plants of different gen-
C
2
4
unit was directly attached to the para-substituted benzene ring
since HMBC correlations were observed from the ethyl protons to
era. They have also been reported from marine organisms such as
1
9,28,29
ascidians belonging to the genus Botrylloides sp.
Iotrocha-
a quaternary aromatic carbon (d
C
127.6). Finally, the HMBC corre-
mides A (1) and B (2), however, are the first cinnamoyl amino acids
reported from the marine sponge Iotrochota sp. Biological study
from three experimental replicates (n = 3) showed that both com-
pounds exhibited moderate activity against T. b. brucei with IC50
values of 4.7 ± 2.5 and 3.4 ± 1.9 lM, respectively. A preliminary
cytotoxicity study using a human embryonic kidney cell line,
lation from the ethyl methine proton to the conjugated carbonyl
carbon established the connectivity of the 2-carboxy ethyl unit
and the enamide moiety to give the planar structure of 1.
2
,3
The geometry of the
D
double bond in 1 was established by
1
3
the characteristic C chemical shift of C-3 in comparison with
structurally similar botryllamides, such as botryllamide A (3). Pre-
HEK293, showed that compounds 1 and 2 had 85 ± 14% inhibition
at 50 lM and 100 ± 0% inhibition at 70 lM, respectively. These re-
sults indicated that both compounds 1 and 2 showed moderate
selectivity towards T. b. brucei.
In conclusion, two new cinnamoyl amino acids, iotrochamides A
(1) and B (2) were isolated from the marine sponge Iotrochota sp.
Compounds 1 and 2 were active against T. b. brucei with single digit
2,3
vious study suggested that botryllamides possess a
bond when the C-3 resonates at d >120 in CDCl
6
double bond when C-3 resonates at d <110 in acetone-d and
D
Z double
2
,3
C
3
, and a
D
E
C
1
9,20
DMSO-d
DMSO-d
6
.
The C-3 in compound 1 resonates at d
C
,3
117.4 in
Z double
2
6
and 120.9 in CDCl
3
, in agreement with a
D
bond. This assignment was supported by the ROESY correlation be-
tween H-5/9 (d 7.64) and 2-OMe (d 3.49) (Fig. 1). The absolute
lM IC50 values.
H
H