Doubly prenylated tryptamines: cytotoxicity, antimicrobial activity and cyclisation to the marine natural product flustramine A

The marine natural product flustramine A was synthesised via oxidative cyclisation of N-b-methylated 1-prenyl-2-tert-prenyl-6-bromotryptamine and subsequent reduction of the resulting amidinium salt. Only the tert-prenyl group migrated, whereas the 1-prenyl group remained in place. Interestingly, the 2-tert-prenylated precursor revealed to be the biologically most active of our entire series of 21 compounds. Required for cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity was the presence of a non-cyclised tryptamine side chain carrying a free secondary amine, whereas the presence of a 6-bromo substituent did not enhance cytotoxicity. In a panel of 42 human tumor cell lines, most sensitive were the lung and mammary cancer cell lines LXFA629L (IC50 1.9 mu M) and MAXF401NL (IC50 2.4 mu M), respectively. In a serial dilution assay, satisfying IC50 values of 5.9 mu M against Micrococcus luteus and 7.7 mu M each against Mycobacterium phlei were determined for N-b-methyl-1-prenyl-2-tert-prenyl-6-bromotryptamine.