| Abstract: | The mutagenicities of 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone (MX, compound 1), 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-2(5H)-furanone (RMX, compound 6), and 2-(dichloromethyl)-3,3-dichloropropenal (TCB, compound 7) were determined in the same assay and in repetitive determinations using Salmonella typhimurium (TA 100) without microsomal fraction activation. In addition, the mutagenicity of 2-methyl-3,3-dichloropropenal (compound 8) was assayed in the same manner although not simultaneously with MX, RMX, and TCB. This study was undertaken to ascertain the role of open- and closed-ring forms of MX in the mutagenicity of MX. MX proved to be roughly 100 times more mutagenic than the open-ring analogue TCB and 10 times more mutagenic than the closed-ring analogue RMX. Compound 8 was inactive. Assay stability of the three active compounds in Vogel-Bonner medium at 38 degrees C was estimated as the chemical half-life values by following the change in UV absorbance at selected wave lengths. Half-life values were 10.7, 2.6, and 2.8 hr, respectively, for MX, RMX, and TCB. The enhanced mutagenicity of MX relative to RMX and TCB is attributed to the intrinsic mutagenicity of MX and its greater stability is judged to play only a minor role. Moreover, the greater mutagenicity of the closed-ring analogue RMX relative to the open-ring analogue TCB points to the ring form of MX as the active species even though the open form of MX is predominant under assay conditions. |
