Mitomycin antibiotics. Synthesis of 7-methoxy-1-(N-pyrrolidino)mitosene and its methiodide

7-Methoxy-1-(N-pyrrolidino)mitosene and its methiodide were synthesized. The latter compound was a potential bifunctional alkylating agent because of its two good leaving groups appropriately situated with respect to the indoloquinone chromophore. However, it was inactive in bacteriophage induction and P388 murine leukemia assays. Both compounds showed antibacterial activity in culture, and the former compound was very weakly active in inducing lysogenic bacteriophage.