The metabolism of 3-benzoylpyridine

3-Benzoylpyridine (3-BP), a decomposition product of the soman antidote, HGG-12 (3-benzoylpyridino(1)-methyl 2'-hydroxyiminomethylpyridino(1')methyl ether dichloride) was rapidly metabolized in the isolated perfused rat liver, giving 3-(alpha-hydroxybenzyl)pyridine and its corresponding glucuronide, 3-benzoylpyridine-N-oxide, and 3-(alpha-hydroxybenzyl)pyridine-N-oxide. The latter is formed both from 3-(alpha-hydroxybenzyl)pyridine and 3-benzoylpyridine-N-oxide. Metabolism of 3-BP studied in rats and dogs in vivo revealed significant species differences. In rat, 80% of 14C-3-BP was excreted as N-oxides and alpha-hydroxybenzyl derivatives in the urine. In dogs, 95% dose was excreted in urine mostly as the glucuronide of 3-(alpha-hydroxybenzyl)pyridine and as the quaternary pyridinium compounds, 3-benzoyl-1-methylpyridinium and 3-(alpha-hydroxybenzyl)-1-methylpyridinium. These latter were hardly detected in rat urine. In contrast to rats, the N-oxides were present only in small amounts in dog urine.