Cyclic Adducts Research Articles

Glutathione Depletion Enhances the Formation of Endogenous Cyclic DNA Adducts Derived fromt-4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal in Rat Liver

Earlier, we detected the cyclic adducts of deoxyguanosine (dG) derived from t-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE), a long chain alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehyde (enal) product from oxidation of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, in tissue DNA of rats and humans as endogenous DNA damage. Recent evidence implicates the cyclic HNE adducts in human liver carcinogenesis. Because glutathione (GSH) protects against oxidative stress, we undertook a study to examine the effect of GSH depletion on the HNE-derived cyclic adducts in vivo. Four F344 rats were administered L-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO), a potent inhibitor of GSH biosynthesis, at 10 mM in drinking water for 2 weeks. Rats in the control group were given water only. Livers were harvested, and each liver was divided into portions for GSH and DNA adduct analyses. The BSO treatment depleted hepatic GSH by 77%; the GSH levels were reduced from 6.3 +/- 0.3 in the control rats to 1.5 +/- 0.1 micromol/g tissues in the treated group. The formation of HNE-dG adducts, analyzed by an HPLC-based 32P-postlabeling assay, was increased by 4-fold, from 6.2 +/- 2.2 nmol/mol dG in liver DNA of control rats to 28.5 +/- 16.1 nmol/mol dG in the rats treated with BSO (p <0.05). The formation of 8-oxodG in liver DNA was also increased as a result of BSO treatment, although the increase was not statistically significant. These results further support the endogenous origin of HNE-dG adducts and, more importantly, indicate a critical role that GSH plays in protecting against in vivo formation of the promutagenic cyclic DNA adducts derived from HNE.

Synthesis and characterization of triphenyltin(IV) 5-[( E)-2-(aryl)-1-diazenyl]-2-hydroxybenzoates. Crystal and molecular structures of Ph 3Sn{O 2CC 6H 3- p-OH[N [dbnd]N(C 6H 4-4-CH 3)]} and the 2,2′-bipyridine adduct Ph 3Sn{O 2CC 6H 3- p-OH[N [dbnd]N(C 6H 4-2-CH 3)]}OH 2 · C 10H 8N 2

Triphenyltin 5-[( E)-2-(4-methylphenyl)-1-diazenyl]-2-hydroxybenzoate, Ph 3SnL 2H, has been prepared and characterized, its structure determined by X-ray crystallography, and the structure compared with those of its homologues. Two polymorphs were isolated from the same crystallization attempt. The reactivity of tetrahedral Ph 3SnL 1H (L 1H = 5-[( E)-2-(2-methylphenyl)-1-diazenyl]-2-hydroxybenzoate) towards 2,2′-bipyridine (bipy) has been investigated to ascertain the ability of bipy to coordinate to the Sn-complex and the resultant changes in the molecular architecture. The crystal structure of the product revealed that the bipy moiety does not coordinate to the Sn atom, but forms a cyclic tetrameric adduct of formula [Ph 3SnL 1H(H 2O)] 2 · bipy 2 through hydrogen bonding between the water ligand of Ph 3SnL 1H(H 2O) and the bipy N atoms. The interpretation of this structure was further enhanced by IR, NMR ( 1H, 13C, 119Sn) and 119mSn Mössbauer experiments.

Ionic Reactions between Formaldehyde and Hydrocarbons. H2 Transfer as a Hydrogenation Mechanism in Astrochemistry

Hydrogen transfer is a major channel in the ionized C2H2+/H2CO and H2CO+/C2H2 reaction systems, producing C2H4+ + CO. Similarly, H2 transfer from H2CO is observed in reactions of the ions C3H3+ (linear), CH3CCH+, H2CCCH2+, C3H5+, and HCCCCH+ with formaldehyde, resulting in hydrogenated hydrocarbon ions. The energetics of these reactions allow a two-step mechanism of H+ or H transfer forming a distonic (BH+·HCO) complex, followed by H transfer to form BH2+. Ab initio calculations on the acetylene/formaldehyde system show that the reaction can proceed through a stable cyclic adduct, dissociating to yield C2H4+ that contains carbon atoms from both acetylene and formaldehyde. Both experiment and theory show that H2CO+ does not react with hydrogen, making it a stable reactant ion in interstellar chemistry. The reactions where either H2+ or H2 is transferred can provide significant pathways for the hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons in interstellar clouds. The reactions of three C2Hx+ (x = 0, 1, or 2) species with acetaldehyde are also reported.

In vitro bypass of malondialdehyde-deoxyguanosine adducts: differential base selection during extension by the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I is the critical determinant of replication outcome.

The major malondialdehyde-derived adduct in DNA is 3-(2'-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)pyrimido[1,2-alpha]purin-10(3H)-one (M(1)dG). M(1)dG undergoes hydrolytic ring opening in duplex DNA to 9-(2'-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-N(2)-(3-oxo-1-propenyl)guanine (N(2)OPdG). Template-primers were constructed containing M(1)dG or N(2)OPdG in a (CpG)(4) repeat sequence and replicated with the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I (Kf). Incorporation opposite the lesion and replication beyond the adduct sites by Kf was reduced compared to unadducted controls. The amount of bypass to full-length products was significantly greater with the acyclic adduct, N(2)OPdG, than with the cyclic adduct, M(1)dG. Sequence analysis indicated that the fully extended primers contained dC opposite both adducts when replication was conducted with Kf exo(+). In contrast, with Kf exo(-), primers extended past M(1)dG contained T opposite the adduct, but primers extended past N(2)OPdG contained dC opposite the adduct. Single nucleotide incorporation experiments indicated that Kf exo(-) incorporates all four nucleotides opposite M(1)dG or N(2)OPdG. Kf exo(+) removed dA, dG, and T opposite M(1)dG and N(2)OPdG but was much less active when dC was opposite the adduct. NMR studies on duplex DNA indicated that N(2)OPdG hydrogen bonds with dC in the complementary strand. The fact that base pairing can occur for the acyclic adduct may explain why N(2)OPdG is less blocking than M(1)dG. These results support in vivo findings that the ring-closed adduct, M(1)dG, is more mutagenic than the ring-opened adduct, N(2)OPdG. They also provide a detailed picture of in vitro replication in which the outcome is determined primarily by the selectivity of template-primer extension beyond rather than insertion opposite the adducts.

The Bacillus subtilis Counterpart of the Mammalian 3-Methyladenine DNA Glycosylase Has Hypoxanthine and 1,N6-Ethenoadenine as Preferred Substrates

The AAG family of 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylases was initially thought to be limited to mammalian cells, but genome sequencing efforts have revealed the presence of homologous proteins in certain prokaryotic species as well. Here, we report the first molecular characterization of a functional prokaryotic AAG homologue, i.e. YxlJ, termed bAag, from Bacillus subtilis. The B. subtilis aag gene was expressed in Escherichia coli, and the protein was purified to homogeneity. As expected, B. subtilis Aag was found to be a DNA glycosylase, which releases 3-alkylated purines and hypoxanthine, as well as the cyclic etheno adduct 1,N(6)-ethenoadenine from DNA. However, kinetic analysis showed that bAag removed hypoxanthine much faster than human AAG with a 10-fold higher value for k(cat), whereas the rate of excision of 1, N(6)-ethenoadenine was found to be similar. In contrast, it was found that bAag removes 3-methyladenine and 3-methylguanine approximately 10-20 times more slowly than human AAG, and there was hardly any detectable excision of 7-methylguanine. It thus appears that bAag has a minor role in the repair of DNA alkylation damage and an important role in preventing the mutagenic effects of deaminated purines and cyclic etheno adducts in Bacillus subtilis.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Highly Substituted Bicyclic γ-Lactones Using Homoaldol Addition of 1-(1-Cycloalkenyl)methyl Carbamates

Stereoselective addition of aldehydes 4 to metallated 1-(1-cycloalkenyl)methyl N,N-diisopropylcarbamates 1 gave cyclic homoaldol adducts 6. By applying the (-)-sparteine method, enantiomerically enriched products were obtained. These were oxidatively cyclized to diastereomerically pure γ-lactones 8 via the γ-lactol ethers 7. After deprotonation of γ-lactones 8 with lithium hexamethyldisilazide, a further substitution was achieved. By trapping the lactone enolates 11 with β-naphthylmethyl bromide, single dia­stereomers of γ-lactones 12 were produced.

Gas-phase reactions for selective detection of the explosives TNT and RDX.

Highly selective gas-phase reactions with ethyl vinyl ether (EVE) of major electron (EI) and chemical ionization (CI) fragment ions of the explosives TNT and RDX have been uncovered. The fragment ion of m/z 210 from TNT undergoes [4(+)+ 2] cycloaddition with EVE to form an oxo-iminium ion of m/z 282, which dissociates by acetaldehyde loss after a [1,5-H] shift to form a quinolynium ion of m/z 238. The fragment ion of m/z 149 from RDX reacts with EVE by a formal vinylation reaction, that is, the elusive cyclic adduct loses ethanol to yield a nitro-iminium ion of m/z 175, which reacts further with EVE to form a second cyclic product ion of m/z 247. Calculations and MS/MS experiments support the proposed structures. These highly characteristic reactions of diagnostic EI and CI fragment ions improve selectivity for TNT and RDX detection.

A Novel Lipid Hydroperoxide-Derived Modification to Arginine

The guanidine group present in the amino acid arginine was found to react with the lipid hydroperoxide-derived bifunctional electrophile, 4-oxo-2-nonenal. The reaction between N(alpha)-tert-butoxycarbony-l-arginine and 4-oxo-2-nonenal resulted in the formation of an adduct (adduct A) that subsequently dehydrated on heating to adduct B. Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were used to assign the structure of adduct B as (N(delta),N(omega)(')-etheno-2'-heptanon-2' '-one)-N(alpha)-t-Boc-arginine. The reaction proceeded from initial reaction of the primary N(omega)-amino group at the C-1 aldehyde of 4-oxo-2-nonenal. Subsequently, an intramolecular Michael addition of a secondary N(delta)-amino group occurring at C-3 resulted in formation of the cyclic carbinolamine adduct A. Dehydration and rearrangement of the exocyclic imine resulted in the formation of adduct B, which contained a stable imidazole ring. The tetra peptide LRDE reacted with 4-oxo-2-nonenal primarily at arginine rather than at the amino terminus. This suggests that arginine-containing proteins can react with lipid hydroperoxide-derived 4-oxo-2-nonenal to form a novel imidazole modification.

Conformations of Stereoisomeric Base Adducts to 4-Hydroxyequilenin

Exposure to estrogen through estrogen replacement therapy increases the risk of women developing cancer in hormone sensitive tissues. Premarin (Wyeth), which has been the most frequent choice for estrogen replacement therapy in the United States, contains the equine estrogens equilin and equilenin as major components. 4-Hydroxyequilenin (4-OHEN) is a phase I metabolite of both of these substances. This catechol estrogen autoxidizes to potent cytotoxic quinoids that can react with dG, dA, and dC to form unusual stereoisomeric cyclic adducts (Bolton, J. L., et al. (1998) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 11, 1113-1127). Like other bulky DNA adducts, these lesions may exhibit different susceptibilities to DNA repair and mutagenic potential, if not repaired in a structure-dependent manner. To ultimately gain insights into structure-function relationships, we computed conformations of stereoisomeric guanine, adenine, and cytosine base adducts using density functional theory. We find near mirror image conformations in stereoisomer adduct pairs for each modified base, suggesting opposite orientations with respect to the 5' --> 3' direction of the modified strand when the stereoisomer pairs are incorporated into duplex DNA. Such opposite orientations could cause stereoisomer pairs of lesions to respond differently to DNA replication and repair enzymes.

α‐Oxolactam Enamines as New Synthons in the Nenitzescu Reaction.

AbstractFor Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

Synthesis and characterization of peptides containing a cyclic Val adduct of diepoxybutane, a possible biomarker of human exposure to butadiene.

1,3-Butadiene, a potential human carcinogen widely used in industry, is oxidized by cytochrome P450 to diepoxybutane (DEB), which is the most mutagenic of the known butadiene metabolites. Assessment of the toxicological significance of DEB formation in humans and animals requires identification of a biomarker uniquely associated with DEB for use in molecular dosimetry studies. We wished to develop a specific and sensitive assay for one such suitable marker, the cyclic adduct 2-(3,4-dihydroxypyrrolidin-1-yl)-3-methylbutyramide (pyr-V), which is formed from addition of DEB to the terminal Val of the alpha- and beta-chains of hemoglobin. We needed to prepare a pure, rigorously characterized DEB-modified N-terminal oligopeptide for raising antibodies both to use in an immunoaffinity purification step and to standardize the assay. In addition, we needed a pure isotopomer to serve as an internal standard for quantitation by LC-MS. Direct modification of the globin sequences by reaction with DEB in vitro proved to be unproductive. We therefore opted to synthesize the cyclic Val adduct and incorporate it by FMOC chemistry into the appropriate oligopeptide sequences. In vitro and in vivo, butadiene is oxidized to enantiomeric and meso forms of DEB. A priori, all three DEB isomers are expected to form pyr-V adducts, resulting in three diastereomeric N-terminal peptides. We therefore synthesized a mixture of the cyclic Val diastereomers as their methyl esters by reaction of DEB with l-Val methyl ester hydrochloride. After protection as the di-O-tert-butyl derivatives, the mixture of 2-(3,4-di-t-butoxypyrrolidin-1-yl)-3-methylbutyric acid diastereomers was incorporated as the N-terminal residue into the 1-11 human globin alpha-chain sequence VLSPADKTNVK. The presence of the three diastereomers was confirmed by two-dimensional correlation NMR spectroscopy and temperature-dependent (1)H NMR. This strategy enabled us to obtain pure, rigorously characterized haptens in quantity for the preparation of polyclonal antibodies. Use of FMOC-protected (2)H(3)-Leu in the automated oligopeptide synthesis provided the required isotopomers for use as internal standard.

Nucleophilic reactions between thiols and a tobacco specific nitrosamine metabolite, 4-hydroxy-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone.

4-Hydroxy-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (HPB) is a metabolite of the tobacco specific nitrosamines, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN). HPB is also a breakdown product of covalently bound pyridyloxobutyl adducts resulting from NNK and NNN exposure. HPB released from DNA or hemoglobin has been used as an important dosimeter of tobacco specific nitrosamine exposure in a variety of studies. This compound is not reactive with cellular nucleophiles under biological conditions. We have discovered that HPB reacts with nucleophiles under acidic conditions to form cyclic tetrahydrofuranyl reaction products. Dithiothreitol, 2-mercaptoethanol, and N-acetylcysteine all reacted with HPB under these reaction conditions. In addition, reactions were observed with buffer chemicals such as 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid and tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane. The resulting cyclic adducts were unstable at room temperature. Their half-lives were significantly longer under neutral conditions than under acidic conditions. NMR studies established that the cyclic form of HPB, 2-hydroxy-2-(3-pyridyl)-2,3,4,5-THF, is present at significant concentrations in acidic solutions. The observation of this cyclic compound suggests that the reaction with nucleophiles may occur via a cyclic oxonium ion intermediate. This reaction was significant in our biological samples; there was up to 40% conversion of [5-(3)H]HPB to cyclic DTT-derived compounds when acidic DNA repair reactions containing [5-(3)H]pyridyloxobutylated DNA were stored overnight at -20 degrees C. Therefore, long-term storage of acid hydrolysates of pyridyloxobutylated DNA or protein for the analysis of HPB-releasing adducts could result in an underestimation of HPB-releasing adduct in those samples. In addition, these observations provide a mild synthetic method to prepare large quantities of cyclic 2-(3-pyridyl)-2,3,4,5-THF adducts predicted to result from pyridyloxobutylation of important cellular nucleophiles as a result of NNK and/or NNN exposure.

Regioselective Reaction of a Cyclic Baylis—Hillman Adduct with Alcohols and Thiols.

AbstractFor Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

Reactions of gaseous acylium ions with 1,3-dienes: further evidence for polar [4 + 2+] Diels-Alder cycloaddition.

A novel reaction of acylium and thioacylium ions, polar [4 + 2(+)] Diels-Alder cycloaddition with 1,3-dienes and O-heterodienes, has been systematically investigated in the gas phase (Eberlin MN, Cooks RG. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1993; 115: 9226). This polar cycloaddition, yet without precedent in solution, likely forms cyclic 2,5-dihydropyrylium ions. Here we report the reactions of gaseous acylium ions [(CH(3))(2)N-C(+)=O, Ph-C(+)=O, (CH(3))(2)N-C(+)=S, CH(3)-C(+)=O, CH(3)CH(2)-C(+)=O, and CH(2)=CH-C(+)=O] with several 1-oxy-substituted 1,3-dienes of the general formula RO-CH=CH-C(R(1))=CH(2), which were performed to collect further evidence for cycloaddition. In reactions with 1-methoxy and 1-(trimethylsilyloxy)-1,3-butadiene, adducts are formed to a great extent, but upon collision activation they mainly undergo structurally unspecific retro-addition dissociation. In reactions with Danishefsky's diene (trans-1-methoxy-3-(trimethylsilyloxy)-1,3-butadiene), adducts are also formed to great extents, but retro-addition is no longer their major dissociation; the ions dissociate instead mainly to a common fragment, the methoxyacryl cation of m/z 85. This fragment ion is most likely formed with the intermediacy of the acyclic adduct, which isomerizes prior to dissociation by a trimethylsilyl cation shift. Theoretical calculations predict that meta cycloadducts bearing 1-methoxy and 1-trimethylsilyloxy substituents are unstable, undergoing barrierless ring opening induced by the charge-stabilizing effect of the 1-oxy substituents. In contrast, for the reactions with 1-acetoxy-1,3-butadiene, both the experimental results and theoretical calculations point to the formation of intrinsically stable cycloadducts, but the intact cycloadducts are either not observed or observed in low abundances. Both the isomeric ortho and meta cycloadducts are likely formed, but the nascent ions dissociate to great extents owing to excess internal energy. The ortho cycloadducts dissociate by ketene loss; the meta cycloadducts undergo intramolecular proton transfer to the acetoxy group followed by dissociation by acetic acid loss to yield aromatic pyrylium ions. Either or both of these dissociations, ketene and/or acetic acid loss, dominate over the otherwise favored retro-Diels-Alder alternative. The pyrylium ion products therefore constitute compelling evidence for polar [4 + 2(+)] cycloaddition since their formation can only be rationalized with the intermediacy of cyclic adducts.

Reactions of Formaldehyde Plus Acetaldehyde with Deoxyguanosine and DNA: Formation of Cyclic Deoxyguanosine Adducts and Formaldehyde Cross-Links

We investigated the reactions of formaldehyde plus acetaldehyde with dGuo and DNA in order to determine whether certain 1,N(2)-propano-dGuo adducts could be formed. These adducts-3-(2'-deoxyribosyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-8-hydroxypyrimido[1,2-a]purine-(3H)-one (1) and 3-(2'-deoxyribosyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-6-hydroxypyrimido[1,2-a]purine-(3H)-one (3a,b)-have been previously characterized as products of the reaction of acrolein with dGuo and DNA. Adduct 1 predominates in certain model lipid peroxidation systems [Pan, J., and Chung, F. L. (2002) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 15, 367-372]. We hypothesized that this could be due to stepwise reactions of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde with dGuo, rather than by reaction of acrolein with dGuo. The results demonstrated that adducts 1 and 3a,b were relatively minor products of the reaction of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde with dGuo and that there was no selectivity in their formation. These findings did not support our hypothesis. However, substantial amounts of previously unknown cyclic dGuo adducts were identified in this reaction. The new adducts were characterized by their MS, UV, and NMR spectra as diastereomers of 3-(2'-deoxyribosyl)-6-methyl-1,3,5-diazinan[4,5-a]purin-10(3H)-one (10a,b). Adducts 10a,b were apparently formed by addition of formaldehyde to N1 of N(2)-ethylidene-dGuo, followed by cyclization. An analogous set of four diastereomers of 3-(2'-deoxyribosyl)-6,8-dimethyl-1,3,5-diazinan[4,5-a]purin-10(3H)-one (12a-d) were formed in the reactions of acetaldehyde with dGuo. These products are the first examples of exocyclic dGuo adducts of the pyrimido[1,2-a]purine type in which an oxygen atom is incorporated into the exocyclic ring. Formaldehyde-derived adducts were the other major products of the reactions of formaldehyde plus acetaldehyde with dGuo. Prominent among these were N(2)-hydroxymethyl-dGuo (9) and the cross-link di-(N(2)-deoxyguaonosyl)methane (13). We did not detect adducts 1, 3a,b, or 10a,b in enzymatic hydrolysates of DNA that had been allowed to react with formaldehyde plus acetaldehyde. However, we did detect substantial amounts of the formaldehyde cross-links di-(N(6)-deoxyadenosyl)methane (17), with lesser quantities of (N(6)-deoxyadenosyl-N(2)-deoxyguanosyl)methane (18), di-(N(2)-deoxyguanosyl)methane (13), and N(6)-hydroxymethyl-dAdo (19). Schiff base adducts of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were also detected in these reactions. These results demonstrate that the reactions of formaldehyde plus acetaldehyde with dGuo are dominated by newly identified cyclic adducts and formaldehyde-derived products whereas the reactions with DNA result in the formation of formaldehyde cross-link adducts. The carcinogens formaldehdye and acetaldehyde occur in considerable quantities in the human body and in the environment. Therefore, further research is required to determine whether the adducts described here are formed in animals or humans exposed to these agents.

4,6-Dihydroxypyrimidine: a selective bridging ligand for controlled Group IV metal alkoxide structures

The generation of controlled metal alkoxide structures has been explored using 4,6-dihydroxypyrimidine (DHP-H2) as a selective bridging ligand. DHP-H2 was reacted with Ti(OPri)4 in pyridine (py). Crystallization from this solution led to the isolation of [(OPri)2(μ-OPri)Ti(μ-DHP)Ti(OPri)3(py)]2 (1). The two dinuclear subunits of 1 possess a bridging DHP ligand bound through both the O and N of the ring, forming an M–O–C–N ring on each metal center. The first Ti possesses three terminal OR ligands and one coordinated pyridine solvent molecule. The second Ti is connected to a μ-OPri group from the other subunit, forming a tetranuclear species. In contrast, recrystallization of 1 from toluene provided the solvent-free, cyclic adduct {[(OPri)2(μ-OPri)Ti]2(μ-DHP)}2 (2). An identical reaction using more sterically hindering alkoxy precursors yielded products of the general structure [(py)(RO)3M]2(μ4-DHP), where M = Ti, OR = OCH2CMe3 (3), OPri/OCMe3 (4); M = Zr, OR = OCMe3 (5). Each metal center adopts an octahedral geometry, with one py, three terminal alkoxide ligands, and one bridging DHP. Solid-state 13C MAS NMR studies indicate the bulk materials are consistent with the crystal structures and solution 1H NMR is consistent with retention of the structures in solution for 2–5.

Cyclisation of dienes using phosphorus-centred radicals to form organophosphorus adducts

Reaction of various dienes with phosphites or related phosphorus hydrides, under free radical cyclisation conditions, affords cyclic organophosphorus adducts. This quick, mild and technically clean approach affords 5- and 6-ring carbocycles and heterocycles in good to excellent yield.

Carcinogenicity and mechanistic insights on the behavior of epoxides and epoxide-forming chemicals.

Many epoxides and their precursors are high production volume chemicals that have major uses in the polymer industry and as intermediates in the manufacture of other chemicals. Several of these chemicals were demonstrated to be carcinogenic in laboratory animal studies conducted by the Ramazzini Foundation (e.g., vinyl chloride, acrylonitrile, styrene, styrene oxide, and benzene) and by the National Toxicology Program (e.g., ethylene oxide, 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, chloroprene, acrylonitrile, glycidol, and benzene). The most common sites of tumor induction were lung, liver, harderian gland, and circulatory system in mice; Zymbal's gland and brain in rats; and mammary gland and forestomach in both species. Differences in cancer outcome among studies of epoxide chemicals may be related to differences in study design (e.g., dose, duration, and route of exposure; observation period; animal strains), as well as biological factors affecting target organ dosimetry of the DNA-reactive epoxide (toxicokinetics) and tissue response (toxicodynamics). N7-Alkylguanine, N1-alkyladenine, and cyclic etheno adducts, as well as K-ras and p53 mutations, have been detected in animals and/or workers exposed to several of these chemicals. The classifications of these chemical carcinogens by IARC and NTP are based on animal and human data and results of mechanistic studies. Reducing occupational and environmental exposures to these chemicals will certainly reduce human cancer risks.

Organopalladium Complex Promoted Asymmetric Cycloaddition Reactions Involving 3,4-Dimethyl-1-phenylphosphole 1-Sulfide as the Heterocyclic Diene

3,4-Dimethyl-1-phenylphosphole 1-sulfide (DMPPS) reacted as a heterocyclic diene in the asymmetric Diels−Alder reaction with diphenylvinylphosphine in the presence of an organopalladium(II) complex derived from the enantiomerically pure ortho-metalated (R)-(1-(dimethylamino)ethyl)naphthalene. The cycloaddition reaction proceeded at room temperature via an intramolecular mechanism in which the cyclic diene and the dienophile were coordinated simultaneously on the chiral palladium template. The (RP)-exo cycloadduct was obtained with high stereoselectivity as a P−S bidentate chelate on the palladium template. When DMPPS was treated with the heterodienophile thiobenzophenone at 50 °C in the presence of the organopalladium(II) complex, the corresponding heterocycloaddition reaction proceeded to generate the expected cycloadduct as a rigid S−S bidentate chelate on the palladium template. However, the cyclic adduct was obtained as a racemic mixture. The low stereoselectivity in the heterocycloaddition reaction is attributed to the kinetic instability of S→Pd coordination bonds in the intermediate template complex. Both the P−S and S−S cycloadducts could be liberated from the corresponding template complexes by treatment of the template complexes with aqueous potassium cyanide.

Regioselective reaction of a Cyclic Baylis-Hillman Adduct with Alcohols and Thiols

Cyclic Baylis-Hillman adduct 1 reacts with alcohols and thiols in the presence of p-TsOH to give regioselectively the corresponding allylic ethers 4 and thioethers 6 in satisfactory to good yields.