Structural identification of p-dioxane-2-one as the major urinary metabolite of p-dioxane

Analysis by gas chromatography (GC) of the volatile compounds present in the urine from rats administered dioxane, a hepatic carcinogen to this species, revealed a major metabolite. The appearance of the metabolite was pH-dependent, undetectable at high pH; reacidification of the urine sample brought about the reappearance of the metabolite. The amount excreted was dose-dependent and time-dependent, reaching a maximum between 20 and 28 h after dioxane administration. Diethylene glycol administered to rats gave rise to the same metabolite. When isolated and purified from lyophilized urine by preparative GC, the metabolite exhibited an intense carbonyl band at 1750 cm-1 in the infrared spectrum. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum showed two triplets and one singlet with equal intensity at delta 3.85, 4.48 and 4.37, respectively. GC-mass spectrometric studies indicated a parent peak at m/e 102. The metabolite was identified as p-dioxane-2-one. Synthetic reference compound exhibited identical IR, NMR, and GC-mass spectra as the metabolite. The tentative pathway and the biological significance of dioxane metabolism are discussed.