Mutagenic activity of compounds related to mustard gas

Abstract

A study was made of the mutagenic activity of a number of compounds chemically related to mustard gas. Biochemical mutants of Neurospora crassa were tested for reversion to nutritionally independent forms. Under the conditions of the tests, monofunctional compounds of the type RSCH2CH2Cl showed activity comparable to that of mustard gas. The aliphatic monofunctional nitrogen mustards were found to be more active toward the adenineless mutant and less active toward the inositolless mutant than the corresponding bifunctional compounds. Nitrogen mustards with aromatic substituents exhibited low to insignificant activity. With the few compounds tested, similar results were obtained with the inositolless, adenineless mutant. The vesicant 2-chloroethyl sulfones and vinyl sulfones were found to be inactive under the conditions of the experiments. The sulfonium compound (thiodiethylene)bis(bis(-2-hydroxyethyl) sulfonium chloride) proved to be an effective mutagen. The mutagenic activity of sulfonium compounds may provide an explanation for the mutagenic activity of "aged" solutions of mustard gas and related compounds. © 1952.