1,3-Bis(2-chloroethyl)urea → N,N'-Bis(2-chloroethyl)-N-nitrosourea

Participants

Reaction Steps

A cold solution of 0.2346 g (3.4 mmole) sodium nitrite in 2 ml water was slowly added to a stirred solution of 0.2727 g (1.47 mmole) 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)urea in 2 ml 88% formic acid at 0°. After 2 hours at 0°, 0.1449 g (46.0%) of an oil solid phase was removed. The ir spectrum of this fraction failed to agree with that of BCNU. After 2 days a small amount of crystalline BCNU slowly formed in this oil phase. A methylene dichloride extract of the aqueous phase yielded 0.0943 g (30.0%) of an amber oil whose ir spectrum agreed with that of a known sample of BCNU. Treatment of this oil with 5 ml hexane and cooling to 0° gave crystalline BCNU which formed an oil on warming to ambient temperature.

Provenance & Evidence