Production of Polyhalogenated Carbazoles in Marine Red Alga Corallina officinalis: A Possible Natural Source

Polyhalogenated carbazoles (PHCZs) have been increasingly detected in the environment as a result of anthropogenic and natural origin. However, it is unclear how PHCZs are naturally produced. In this study, the formation of PHCZs from bromoperoxidase (BPO)-mediated halogenation of carbazole was investigated. A total of six PHCZs were identified in reactions under different incubation conditions. The presence of Br^– significantly influenced the formation of PHCZs. The products were first dominated by 3-bromocarbazole and then 3,6-dibromocarbazole as the reactions proceeded. Both bromo- and chlorocarbazoles were identified in the incubations with trace Br^–, suggesting the co-occurrence of BPO-catalyzed bromination and chlorination. However, BPO-catalyzed chlorination of carbazole was much weaker than that of bromination. The formation of PHCZs could be attributable to the halogenation of carbazole by reactive halogen species generated from BPO-catalyzed oxidation of Br^– and Cl^– by H₂O₂. The halogenation was found to follow a successive substitution order of C-3, C-6, and C-1 on the carbazole ring, forming 3-, 3,6-, and 1,3,6-isomers. Similar to the incubation experiments, six PHCZs were for the first time detected in red algal samples collected from the South China Sea, China, suggesting the biogenesis of PHCZs in marine red algae. Given the widespread distribution of red algae in the marine environment, BPO-catalyzed halogenation of carbazole may be a natural origin for PHCZs.