A cytotoxic depsipeptide, kulokekahilide-2 (1), was isolated from a cephalaspidean mollusk, Philinopsis speciosa. The structure elucidation of kulokekahilide-2 was carried out by spectroscopic analysis and chemical degradation. Kulokekahilide-2 showed potent cytotoxicity against several cell lines (P388, SK-OV-3, MDA-MB-435, and A-10 with IC50 values ranging from 4.2 to 59.1 nM) indicating cancer cell selectivity.

The cytotoxic depsipeptide kulokekahilide-1, which contains two unusual amino acids, 4-phenylvaline and 3-amino-2-methylhexanoic acid, was isolated from the cephalaspidean mollusk Philinopsis speciosa. Structure elucidation of kulokekahilide-1 was carried out by spectroscopic analysis and chemical degradation. The absolute stereochemistry was determined by Marfey analysis for amino acids and chiral HPLC analysis for hydroxy acids. All four stereoisomers of 4-phenylvaline and 3-amino-2-methylhexanoic acid, which were necessary for Marfey analysis, were synthesized by use of the Heck reaction and Evans's method, respectively. Kulokekahilide-1 showed cytotoxicity against P388 murine leukemia cells with an IC(50) value of 2.1 microg/mL.