Molecular Characteristics of Some Carcinogenic Hydrocarbons

Abstract
The chemical reactivity and presumably the carcinogenic activity induced in aromatic hydrocarbons by hydroxylating enzymes may be due to the generation of electrophilic centers in some (benzo[a]pyrene) or nucleophilic centers in others (7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene or 3-methylcholanthrene). These centers, which are at positions complementary to the points of activation by acid-derived protons (models of the positive oxygen of the hydroxylating enzymes), may react simultaneously with corresponding cellular components.