Unsual Cytotoxic Phenethylamides form Xenerhabdus nemetophilus

Three simple carboxamides incorporating the phenethylamine moiety have been isolated from strain XR-NC of a symbiotic bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophilus. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic data and synthesis. The compounds exhibited significant cytotoxicities against human cancer-cell line, viz. the gastric adenocarcinoma, colon adenocarcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma.