Salaramides A and B; two alpha-oxoamides isolated from the marine sponge Hippospongia sp. (Porifera, Dictyoceratida).

Two novel alpha-oxoamides, salaramide A (1) and its homologue salaramide B (2), were isolated from the Madagascar marine sponge, Hippospongia sp., collected in Salary Bay, north of Tulear. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated by interpretation of mass spectra, 1D and 2D NMR spectra, and confirmed by chemical transformation.

Auroside, a xylosyl-sterol, and patusterol A and B, two hydroxylated sterols, from two soft corals Eleutherobia aurea and Lobophytum patulum.

A new sterol glycoside, auroside (1) and two new hydroxylated sterols, patusterol A and B (2, 3) have been isolated from the South African soft coral Eleutherobia aurea and from the Kenyan soft coral Lobophytum patulum. The structure elucidation was achieved from extensive 1D- and 2D- NMR and MS data, and in the case of auroside also by chemical reactions. In addition, from Lobophytum patulum, was also isolated a known nitrogen containing compound (Z)-N-[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl]-3-methyldodec-2-enamide, and from Eleutherobia aurea several, earlier reported, diterpenoids.

Plakinamine L: a new steroidal alkaloid from the marine sponge Corticium sp.

A new steroidal alkaloid, plakinamine L (1) with an unprecedented acyclic side chain, was isolated from the marine sponge Corticium sp. collected near Salary (south-west of Madagascar). The structure was elucidated by combined spectroscopic methods.

Isohalitulin and haliclorensins B and C, three marine alkaloids from Haliclona tulearensis.

Three new alkaloids, designated isohalitulin (4), haliclorensin B (5), and haliclorensin C (6), were isolated from two specimens of the Madagascan sponge Haliclona tulearensis, collected at two locations in Salary Bay, north of Tulear. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic means. Alkaloids 4-6 exhibited mild toxicity in the brine shrimp test.

Tausalarin C: a new bioactive marine sponge-derived nitrogenous bismacrolide.

A novel nitrogenous bismacrolide, designated tausalarin C (1), was isolated from the Madagascar sponge Fascaplysinopsis sp. The structure of the compound was elucidated by interpretation of MS and 1D and 2D NMR spectra. It is suggested that tausalarin C is assembled from salarin A (2) and pretaumycin A.

Saldedines A and B, dibromo proaporphine alkaloids from a Madagascan tunicate.

Two new dibromo proaporphine alkaloids, designated saldedines A (1) and B (2), were isolated from an unidentified tunicate collected at Salary Bay, Madagascar. Saldedines A and B are the first marine proaporphine alkaloids. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic means, and the structure of 1 was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

Taumycins A and B, two bioactive lipodepsipeptides from the Madagascar sponge Fascaplysinopsis sp.

Two closely related lipodepsipeptides, taumycins A and B (1 and 2) have been isolated from the Madagascar sponge Fascaplysinopsis sp. The two compounds have the same 12-membered oxodepsipeptide ring system in common. Both were toxic to brine shrimp larvae, and taumycin A (1 microM), but not taumycin B, inhibited growth of the human UT-7 leukemic cell line.

Flexusines A and B and epimukulol from the soft coral Sarcophyton flexuosum.

Three new cembranes, flexusines A (1) and B (2) and an epimukulol (3), were isolated from the soft coral Sarcophyton flexuosum collected near Reunion Island, Indian Ocean. Their structures were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR spectral analyses.

Nardosinanols A-I and lemnafricanol, sesquiterpenes from several soft corals, Lemnalia sp., Paralemnalia clavata, Lemnalia africana, and Rhytisma fulvum fulvum.

Ten new sesquiterpenes, nardosinanols A-I ( 1- 9) and lemnafricanol ( 10), have been isolated from several Kenyan soft corals, i.e., from Lemnalia sp.

Salarins a and B and tulearin a: new cytotoxic sponge-derived macrolides.

Three novel nitrogenous macrolides designated salarin A and B (1 and 2) and tulearin A (3) were isolated from the Madagascar Fascaplysinopsis sp. sponge. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by interpretation of MS and 1D and 2D NMR spectra.

Three biscembranoids and their monomeric counterpart cembranoid, a biogenetic Diels-Alder precursor, from the soft coral Sarcophyton elegans.

Two new cembranoids, methyl tetrahydrosarcoate ( 1) and methyl tetrahydroisosarcoate ( 2), were isolated from the soft coral Sarcophyton elegans, collected at Kitangambwe Kenya, together with four biscembranoids, the known nyalolide ( 3) and the unprecedented desacetylnyalolide ( 4), diepoxynyalolide ( 5), and dioxanyalolide ( 6). The structures and relative stereochemistry of the compounds were elucidated by interpretation of MS, 1D NMR, COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY experiments. Compound 1 is most likely the dienophile affording, by a Diels-Alder reaction, the four biscembranoids.

Nuttingins A-F and malonganenones D-H, tetraprenylated alkaloids from the Tanzanian gorgonian Euplexaura nuttingi.

Six new tetraprenylated purine alkaloids, designated nuttingins A-F (1-6), were isolated together with three known malonganenones, A-C (12-14), and five new closely related malonganenones, D-H (7-11), from the gorgonian Euplexaura nuttingi collected in Pemba Island, Tanzania. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by interpretation of 1D and 2D NMR data including 15N chemical shifts obtained from 1H-15N HMBC spectra. Nuttingins A-E (1-5) and malonganenones D-G (7-10) displayed inhibitory activity against both K562 and UT7 tumor cell lines, compounds 3-5 being the most active ones, approximately 3-fold more potent than the others.

Negombins A-I, new chlorinated polyfunctional diterpenoids from the marine sponge Negombata species.

Nine novel compounds designated negombins A-I (1-9) were isolated, together with latrunculin, from the Tanzanian sponge Negombata sp. The nine are sacculatane type diterpenes, previously only known from liverworts. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by interpretation of MS and 1D and 2D NMR spectra.

Antifungal effect and possible mode of activity of a compound from the marine sponge Dysidea herbacea.

Objectives: Assessment of antifungal activity of a compound isolated from the marine sponge Dysidea herbacea against the fungal pathogens Candida (primarily C. albicans) and Aspergillus (primarily A. fumigatus) species, and investigations of the possible mode of activity of the compound.

Mycgranol, a new diterpene from the marine sponge Mycale aff. graveleyi.

Mycgranol, a new isocopalane diterpene (methyl 1beta-hydroxy-2-oxoisocopalanoate) was isolated from the Kenyan sponge Mycale (Aegogropila) aff. graveleyi. The structure of the compound was elucidated by interpretation of MS, COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and ROESY data.

Asmarines I, J, and K and nosyberkol: four new compounds from the marine sponge Raspailia sp.

Five asmarines, the known A and F and three new ones, I, J, and K, and four diterpenes, the known chelodane, barekoxide, and zaatirin and a new one, nosyberkol, were isolated from the Nosy Be Islands (Madagascar) sponge Raspailia sp. The structures of all these compounds were established on the basis of MS and NMR data. A biogenesis for the various Raspailia sp.

Likonides A and B: new ansa farnesyl quinols from the marine sponge Hyatella sp.

[structure: see text] Two novel ansa farnesyl quinols, designated likonides A and B, were isolated together with avarone from the Kenyan sponge Hyatella sp. The compounds are of a unique ansa structure. The structures and stereochemistry of the compounds were elucidated by interpretation of MS, two-dimensional NMR, and CD experiments.

Isoprenoids of the soft coral Sarcophyton glaucum: Nyalolide, a new biscembranoid, and other terpenoids.

The chemical content of Sarcophyton glaucum, one of the more abundant soft corals on many coral reefs, collected from many seas, was thoroughly explored, resulting in the discovery of a large number of cembranoids, biscembranoids, sterols, and other secondary metabolites. The presently investigated Kenyan specimens of S. glaucum yielded three new metabolites, i.

Callynormine A, a new marine cyclic peptide of a novel class.

[structure: see text] A novel cyclic peptide, callynormine A, was isolated from the Kenyan marine sponge Callyspongia abnormis and its structure elucidated by interpretation of its NMR data and X-ray diffraction analysis. Callynormine A represents a new class of heterodetic cyclic peptides (designated endiamino peptides) possessing an alpha-amido-beta-aminoacrylamide cyclization functionality.

Kitungolides A, B, and C, new diterpenes from a soft coral of a new genus.

Three novel compounds, designated kitungolides A (1), B (2), and C (3), were isolated from a soft coral of a new genus collected at Kitungamwe, Kenya. The three new compounds are of a unique heterotricyclic skeleton. The structures and relative stereochemistry of the compounds were elucidated by interpretation of MS, COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY experiments.

Asmarines G and H and barekol, three new compounds from the marine sponge Raspailia sp.

Four asmarines, the known A and F and two new ones G and H, four diterpenes, the known chelodane, barekoxide, and zaatirin and a new one, barekol, and methyl 3-oxo-cholan-24-oate were isolated from the Kenyan sponge Raspailia sp. The structures of all these compounds were established on the basis of MS and NMR data, and the absolute configuration of barekol was determined from the CD measurements of its keto-derivative. The (15)N chemical shifts of the N atoms of the heterocycles of the asmarines were measured from (15)N HMBC experiments, and the influence of various structural features on the delta(N) values studied.

Three new cyclic peroxides from the marine sponge Plakortis aff simplex.

In our continuing program to identify bioactive compounds from marine invertebrates, the MeOH-EtOAc (1:1) extract of the sponge Plakortis aff simplex, collected in Madagascar, was found to be cytotoxic to a series of human tumor cells. From this sponge, three new compounds and one known one, two new 1,2-dioxane peroxylactones named plakortolides H (1) and I (2), and one new 1,2-dioxolane, designated andavadoic acid (3), have been isolated and their structures elucidated. In addition, the known N(3)-methyladenine (4) was isolated, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time from a marine source.

Didmolamide A and B, two new cyclic hexapeptides from the marine ascidian Didemnum molle.

Two novel cyclic hexapeptides, didmolamides A and B, were isolated from the compound ascidian Didemnum molle collected in Madagascar. The structure of the two peptides was elucidated by interpretation of MS, COSY, HMQC, and HMBC data. The absolute configuration of all amino acids was determined to be l using Marfey's method for HPLC.

Lemnaflavoside, a new diterpene glycoside from the soft coral Lemnalia flava.

Lemnaflavoside (1) and three monoacetates (2-4) have been isolated from the Indo-Pacific soft coral Lemnalia flava, collected off Mombasa, Kenya. The structure of the new glycoside was elucidated by interpretation of MS and 2D NMR data. The sugar of the diterpene glycoside was found to be D-xylose.

Pairing of propellers: dimerization of octahedral ruthenium(II) and osmium(II) complexes of eilatin via pi-pi stacking featuring heterochiral recognition.

Five octahedral eilatin complexes of the type [M(L-L)(2)(eilatin)](2+) (M = Ru, Os; L-L = bipyridyl-type ligands) were synthesized, and their dimerization via pi-pi stacking was studied by crystallography and (1)H NMR techniques. The X-ray structures of these racemic complexes were solved and revealed that the eilatin complexes are organized as discrete dimers in which the eilatin residues of each complex are stacked in centrosymmetric packing. Chemical shift dependence on concentration in the (1)H NMR spectra support fast dimer-monomer equilibrium, and the structures of the dimers in acetonitrile solution are proposed to be analogous to their solid-state structures.