Synthesis of 1,6-diaminopyrene from 1,6-dinitropyrene and its S9 dependent mutagenicity to S. typhimurium

1,6-Dinitropyrene elicits a potent mutagenic response in a range of microorganisms in the absence of auxiliary metabolism (S9 mix). This activity is considered to be dependent upon nitroreductase enzymes endogenous to the marker organism producing electrophilic species from one or both of the nitro groups. In order to evaluate this suggestion 1,6-diaminopyrene has been synthesised, characterized and found to elicit a mutagenic response in strain TA98 of Salmonella typhimurium, but only when evaluated in the presence of S9 mix. The active dose-range of the diamino compound was 10(4) times higher than that of the parent dinitro compound.