Two new betaines from the Australian bryozoan Amathia lamourouxi

A chemical investigation of the eastern Australian endemic bryozoan Amathia lamourouxi led to the isolation of two unique betaine molecules, lamouroic acid trifluoroacetate and lamourimidazolinium trifluoroacetate. The structures of these molecules were determined using (+)-HRESIMS, 2D NMR and ECD analyses. The new compounds were screened for antiplasmodial, cytotoxic and antibacterial activity but were inactive at 40 μM. Lamouroic acid trifluoroacetate is structurally related to the ubiquitous marine compound homarine, that has previously been shown to possess feeding deterrent properties, and this suggests that the new compound may also have an ecological role in the bryozoan.