Isosteres of cryptolepine (1) were synthesized and evaluated for their antiinfective activities. Overall, the sulfur isostere, 5-methyl benzothieno [3, 2-b] quinolinium salt (5b), was equipotent to 1 and has shown no cytotoxicity at 23.8 μg/mL. Compound 5b was also found to have a broad spectrum of activity. Both the carbon and oxygen isosteres were less potent than cryptolepine. A limited library of 2-substituted analogs of 5b has been synthesized ...