Reaction of nitrosamines in the Udenfriend system: principal products and biological activity

Reaction of diethylnitrosamine in the non-enzymatic, ascorbic acid-dependent, hydroxylating system of Udenfriend yielded N-nitroso-2-(ethylamino)-ethanol as the major product extracted into methylene chloride. The major product derived from nitrosopiperidine in the same system was N-nitroso-4-piperidone. These products, however, were mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium TA 1535 only when activated by a rat liver microsomal preparation.