Alkylation of DNA by the nitrogen mustard bis(2-chloroethyl)methylamine.

Alkylation of DNA by the nitrogen mustard bis(2-chloroethyl)methylamine (mechlorethamine; HN2) gave four principal products, derived by mono-alkylation of guanine at N-7 and adenine at N-3 and by cross-linking of guanine to guanine or guanine to adenine at these positions. These products were isolated by hydrolysis from DNA at neutral pH, followed by ion-exchange chromatography on SP-Sephadex and reversed phase chromatography on ODS. They were characterized by identification with products from the reaction of nitrogen mustard with adenine or deoxyguanylic acid, and by their UV, mass, and proton magnetic resonance spectra.