Many nitrosamines are known to be carcinogenic.'It has also been shown that blocking of the positions a to the ring nitrogen atom by methyl groups in cyclic nitrosamines reduces the carcinogenic activity. 2 The alkyl cation formed from the nitrosamine (Scheme I) is believed to be responsible for the initial step in the process of carcinogenesis by alkylating cellular components and DNA base~.~,'The first step in the formation of this alkyl cation involves ...