Synthesis and evaluation of .alpha.-[[(2-haloethyl)amino]methyl]-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanols as prodrugs of .alpha.-[(1-aziridinyl)methyl]-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol (RSU-1069) and its analogs which are radiosensitizers and bioreductively activated cytotoxins

alpha-[(1-Aziridinyl)methyl]-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanols, of general formula ImCH2CH(OH)CH2NCR1R2CR3R4, where Im = 2-nitroimidazole and R1, R2, R3, R4 = H, Me, are radiosensitizers and selective bioreductively activated cytotoxins toward hypoxic tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Treatment of the aziridines with hydrogen halide in acetone or aqueous acetone gave the corresponding 2-haloethylamines of general formula ImCH2CH(OH)CH2(+)-NH2CR1R2CR3R4X X-, where R1, R2, R3, R4 = H, Me, and X = F, Cl, Br, I. These 2-haloethylamines were evaluated as prodrugs of the parent aziridines. The rates of ring closure in aqueous solution at pH approximately 6 were found to increase with increasing methyl substitution and to depend on the nature of the leaving group (I approximately Br greater than Cl much greater than F). A competing reaction of ImCH2CH(OH)CH2+NH2CH2CH2X X- (X = Cl, Br) with aqueous HCO3- ions gives 3-[2-hyroxy-3-(2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl]-2-oxazolidinone. The activities of these prodrugs as radiosensitizers or as bioreductively activated cytotoxins were consistent with the proportion converted to the parent aziridine during the course of the experiment. alpha-[[(2-Bromoethyl)amino]methyl]-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1- ethanol (RB 6145, 10), the prodrug of alpha-[(1-aziridinyl)methyl]-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol (RSU-1069, 3), is identified as the most useful compound in terms of biological activity and rate of ring closure under physiological conditions.