Synthesis and carcinogenic activity of 5-fluoro-7-(oxygenated methyl)-12-methylvenz[a]anthracenes

Treatment of 7,12-benz[a]anthraquinone (2) with methylmagnesium iodide or methyllithium yields mixtures of cis- and trans-7,12-dihydro-7,12-dihydroxy-7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracenes (3a,b), in which the ratio of cis to trans lies in the 3--4:1 region. Each isomer afforded high yields of 7-chloromethyl-12-methylbenz[a]anthracene (5) on treatment with hydrogen chloride in ethyl acetate. Similarly, 5-fluoro-7,12-benz[a]anthraquinone (8) afforded a mixture of cis- and trans-5-fluoro-7,12-dihydro-7,12-dihydroxy-7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracenes (9) which yielded 7-chloromethyl-5-fluoro-12-methylbenz[a]anthracene (10) on treatment with HCl. The chloromethyl compounds, 5 and 10, yielded 7-acetoxymethyl-12-methylbenz[a]anthracene (6) and 7-acetoxymethyl-5-fluoro-12-methylbenz[a]anthracene (11) on treatment with acetate ion. Hydrolysis of 6 and 11 yielded 7-hydroxymethyl-12-methylbenz[a]anthracene (7) and 5-fluoro-7-hydroxymethyl-12-methylbenz[a]anthracene (12), respectively. Since neither 11 nor 12 is appreciably carcinogenic, the carcinogenic metabolism of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) probably does not involve attack at the 7-methyl group.