Pseudoceratins A and B, antifungal bicyclic bromotyrosine-derived metabolites from the marine sponge Pseudoceratina purpurea

Pseudoceratins A (1) and B (2) have been isolated from the marine sponge Pseudoceratina purpurea. Pseudoceratins are unique among the large class of bromotyrosine-derived sponge metabolites with respect to the substitution pattern of aromatic rings and the presence of spiroacetal and oxime ether functional groups as well as an 1,5-diamino-1,5-dideoxy-D-arabitol tether. Pseudoceratins A (1) and B (2) are epimeric differing in the orientation of the tether. Their structures were determined by analysis of spectral data. The rigidity of the compounds arising from their bridged structure gave ROESY/NOESY spectra with many transannular cross-peaks, which allowed the assignment of the relative stereochemistry of 1 and 2 to be established. The D-configuration of the 1,5-diamino-1,5-dideoxyarabitol unit was determined by converting the fragment isolated from the acid hydrolysate to the Mosher's ester and compared the H-1 NMR spectrum with those of standard samples. Pseudoceratins exhibited significant antifungal activity against Candida albicans.