High incidences of lung tumors were observed in mice fed coal tar in their diet. The principal component of tar that gives rise to DNA-bound adducts in mouse lung was identified as 7 H- benzo [c] fluorene (B c F). We now report the synthesis of suspected active metabolites of B c F, specifically the trans-3, 4-dihydrodiol of B c F (2), its likely proximate carcinogenic metabolite, and the corresponding anti-and syn-diol epoxides of B c F (3 and 4) in which ...
