(+)-agelasine D: improved synthesis and evaluation of antibacterial and cytotoxic activities

An improved synthesis of (+)-agelasine D (10) from (+)-manool is reported together with cytotoxic and Antibacterial data for agelasine D and structurally close synthetic analogues. These compounds display a broad spectrum of Antibacterial activities including effects on M. tuberculosis and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (both aerobes and anaerobes). They exhibit profound cytotoxic activity against several Cancer cells, including a multidrug-resistant cell line. (+)-Agelasine D (10) has been isolated earlier from a marine Sponge (Agelas sp.).