The fungal secondary metabolites (+)-WIN 64821 and (-)-ditryptophenaline are biosynthesized through condensation of l-tryptophan and l-phenylalanine, followed by reductive dimerization with generation of stereochemical variations. Inspired by the stereodivergent biogenetic process, we designed and synthesized a collection of bispyrrolidinoindoline diketopiperazine alkaloids and their analogues with systematic diversification of the stereochemistry of the privileged structural motif of the fungal alkaloids. Not only the stereochemical modifications of (+)-WIN 64821 at the 3-/3'-, 11-/11'-, and 15-/15'-positions, but also ring cleavage of the diketopiperazine moieties, allowed the generation of a lead compound exhibiting potent growth inhibitory activity (IC50 =3.03 μm) toward human colon cancer cells. Structure-activity relationship studies revealed that all six stereogenic centers were essential for the pharmacophore. High cell densities dramatically intensified the cytotoxic activities of the lead compound.
Keywords: alkaloids; antitumor agents; cytotoxicity; indoles; structure-activity relationships.
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