ELECTRON-IMPACT IONIZATION AND FAST-ATOM-BOMBARDMENT MASS-SPECTROMETRY OF SOME 3,3-DIMETHYL-1-(ISOXAZOL-3-YL)TRIAZENES, A NEW CLASS OF POTENTIAL ANTICANCER AGENTS

A series of 3,3-dimethyl-1-(isoxazol-3-yl)triazenes, potential anticancer agents, were studied by electron impact (EI) ionization and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. Their behaviour was compared with that of dacarbazine, 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazenyl)-(1H)-imidazole-4-carboxamide, which is employed in the treatment of several neoplastic conditions. An interesting EI-generated decomposition pathway was observed, consisting in the primary formation of [NH2CH3](+) cations, involved in the metabolic pathway of triazenes, as the alkylating agent responsible for the anticancer properties of the drug. A higher thermodynamic stability of the examined compounds than decarbazine was observed, which reasonably reflects the higher chemical stability.