Alpha-glucuronides of N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine.

After administration of N-nitroso[14C-methyl]benzylamine to rats, a glucuronide was demonstrated in the urine, the structure of which could be assigned on the basis of synthetic marker compounds. These findings offer an explanation for the failure to detect benzylation of DNA after administration of N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBzA). The glucuronides were synthesized by a combination of enzymatic and chemical reactions.