Debromosceptrin, an alkaloid from the Caribbean sponge Agelas conifera

As the result of a structurally guided isolation to identify lead compounds for the treatment of opportunistic infections of AIDS, the dihydrochloride salt of a new symmetrical pyrrole dimer debromosceptrin (1), and two known pyrrole analogues (2 and 3) were isolated from the Caribbean sponge Agelas conifera collected from Belize. The structure of debromosceptrin was identified by analysis of spectral data. N-15 spectral data assignments were made for compounds 1-3. Compounds 2 and 3 showed marginal inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.