Bis(indolyl)methane Alkaloids: Isolation, Bioactivity, and Syntheses

Bis(indolyl)methane (BIM) alkaloids are an important group of bioactive natural products predominantly found in marine organisms. Thus, compounds like arsindoline A and B, vibrindole A, arundine, and trisindoline are found in marine bacteria, while the related compound, streptindole is obtained from Streptococcus faecium IB 37, found in human feces. In recent years, these molecules, which display a wide range of biological properties (antibacterial, antiviral, anti-oxidant, neurotoxic activity etc.), have attracted the attention of several synthetic and natural product chemists. This review lists selected bis(indolyl)methane analogues reported from different natural sources to date, together with their biological properties and synthesis. 1 Introduction 2 Occurrence, Isolation, Structure Elucidation, and Biological Activity 3 Synthetic Approaches towards Bis(indolyl)methanes 4 Conclusions