Separation of impurities in diazinon preparations and their effect on porphyrin biosynthesis in tissue culture.

The impurities present in commercial diazinon preparations have been examined by high performance liquid chromatography with particular reference to the ability of these compounds to cause porphyrin accumulation in cultures of chicken embryo liver cells. Diazinon and its impurities are readily separated on 10 micron Partisil using cyclohexane-dioxan mixtures. The main impurities are tetraethylpyrophosphate, sulphotetraethylpyrophosphate, 2-isopropyl-6-methylpyrimid-4-one, 2-isopropyl-6-methylpyrimidin-4-thione, and 2-isopropyl-4-ethylthio-6-methylpyrimidine. A previously unreported impurity, 2-isopropyl-6-methyl-4-S-pyrimidinyl diethylthiophosphate (isodiazinon), was also detected. Both diazinon and isodiazinon cause accumulation of coproporphyrin in cultures of chicken embryo liver cells. Isodiazinon has a greater effect on porphyrin biosynthesis in the cultures than has diazinon. It is suggested that the point of interference with porphyrin biosynthesis is towards the end of the pathway.