Mutagenicity of cyclopenta-fused isomers of benz(a)anthracene in bacterial and rodent cells and identification of the major rat liver microsomal metabolites.

The microsomal metabolites and mutagenic activity of four cyclopenta-fused benz(a)anthracenes, benz(j)aceanthrylene [B(j)A], benz(e)aceanthrylene [B(e)A], benz(l)aceanthrylene [B(l)A], and benz(k)acephenanthrylene [B(k)A], have been studied. Aroclor 1254-induced rat liver microsomes metabolized B(j)A to B(j)A-1,2-dihydrodiol, B(j)A-9,10-dihydrodiol, B(j)A-11,12-dihydrodiol, and 10-hydroxy-B(j)A; B(e)A-1,2-dihydrodiol, B(e)A-3,4-dihydrodiol, and B(e)A-5,6-dihydrodiol; B(l)A to B(l)A-1,2-dihydrodiol, B(l)A-4,5-dihydrodiol, and B(l)A-7,8-dihydrodiol; and B(k)A to B(k)A-4,5-dihydrodiol and B(k)A-8,9-dihydrodiol. With each polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, metabolism occurred on the cyclopenta ring.

Simple epoxide analogs of trichothecans.

To define clearly the epoxide grouping role in trichothecan biological activity, a series of hindered epoxides was prepared. They possessed alpha, alpha'-substitution reminiscent of the epoxide environment of the natural products. None of these analogs demonstrated biological activities similar to the natural toxins.

Simple analogs of the toxin callicarpone.

Callicarpone, a component 10 times as toxic to fish as rotenone, has been isolated from the leaves of Callicarpa candicans. It is reasonable to assume that callicarpone will act as an insecticidal agent as does rotenone. Therefore, the structure-activity relationship of callicarpone was examined by synthesizing a series of compounds having certain of its structural features.

Synthesis of 5-substituted uracil derivatives.

The synthesis of a series of 5-substituted uracil derivatives is described. 5-Bromoacetyluracil (2a) was converted to the glycolyl (2b), glycyl (2c), N,N-dimethylglycyl (2d), 4-imidazolyl (3), and 2-amino-4-thiazolyl (4) derivatives. 5-Formyluracil (5) was used in the preparation of the 2-imidazolyl (6), the 3-acrylic acid (7b), the ester (7a), and the 3-N,N-dimethylacrylamide (8) derivatives.