Abstract
2-Oxazolidones (Ia→f) were not effective against rat ascites hepatoma AH13 or mouse lymphoid leukemia, L1210. However, among 3-nitroso-2-oxazolidones (IIa→f), compounds IIa, IIb, IIc and IId were active against AH13, and compounds IIa, IIb and IIf were active against L1210. Cyclic N-nitrosocarbamates and N-nitrosoureas showed greater antitumor effects than the corresponding acyclic N-nitroso compounds. Since the reaction of compounds IIa→f with 4-(p-nitrobenzyl) pyridine gave a purple color, their antitumor mechanism presumably involves alkylation ; but there was no correlation between the antitumor activities and the color intensities.
