Decomposition of N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-nitrosoureas in aqueous media

A reinvestigation of the aqueous decomposition of N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-nitrosoureas has shown that their mode of decomposition is dependent upon whether or not the solution is buffered at or near physiological pH. In distilled water, the 2-chloroethyl compounds decompose with the loss of 1 mol, or slightly less, of chloride ion per mole in nitrosourea and the formation of acetaldehyde and 3-4% of 2-chloroethanol. In buffer, the yield of 2-chloroethanol increases to 0.3-0.6 mol per mole of nitrosourea, the yield of chloride ion decreases to 0.5 mol per mole of nitrosourea, and the yield of acetaldehyde decreases to 0.1-0.4 mol per mole of nitrosourea. Evidence for the formation of the vinyl cation, a possible precursor of acetaldehyde, in these reactions is presented. In contrast to the results obtained with the N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-nitrosoureas, the decomposition of N,N'-bis(2-fluoroethy)-N-nitrosourea in distilled water gave almost 1 mol of 2-fluoroethanol per mole of nitrosourea and only 0.04 mol of acetaldehyde per mole of nitrosourea.