The relative alkylating activities of two of the cytotoxic metabolites of cyclophosphamide, phosphoramide mustard and nornitrogen mustard, have been studied at pH 4.6 and 7.4. The products formed on alkylation of ethanethiol by these metabolites have been identified, confirming that phosphoramide mustard undergoes alkylation reactions as an intact molecule. Deuterated analogs of the two metabolites have been synthesized, namely N,N-bis(2,2-dideutero-2-chloroethyl)-phosphorodiamidic acid and N,N-bis(2,2-dideutero-2-chloroethyl)amine and used to determine that alkylation proceeds directly via an aziridinium intermediate rather than a direct SN2 displacement of the chlorine atom.
