Diazoalkanes and their conjugate acids, diazonium ions, are important reactive intermediates which have been implicated in the carcinogenicity and mutagenicity of N-alkyl- N-nitroso compounds. 2 Alkanediazoates have been studied extensively and have been shown to decompose via diazonium ion intermediates. 3 Nitrous acid deaminations of aliphatic amines are known to involve the same diazonium ion intermediates. 4, 5 It has ...
