Laboratory of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Int J Mol Sci. 2023 May 11;24(10):8600. doi: 10.3390/ijms24108600.
V-agents are exceedingly toxic organophosphate nerve agents. The most widely known V-agents are the phosphonylated thiocholines VX and VR. Nonetheless, other V-subclasses have been synthesized. Here, a holistic overview of V-agents is provided, where these compounds have been categorized based on their structures to facilitate their study. A total of seven subclasses of V-agents have been identified, including phospho(n/r)ylated selenocholines and non-sulfur-containing agents, such as VP and EA-1576 (EA: Edgewood Arsenal). Certain V-agents have been designed through the conversion of phosphorylated pesticides to their respective phosphonylated analogs, such as EA-1576 derived from mevinphos. Further, this review provides a description of their production, physical properties, toxicity, and stability during storage. Importantly, V-agents constitute a percutaneous hazard, while their high stability ensures the contamination of the exposed area for weeks. The danger of V-agents was highlighted in the 1968 VX accident in Utah. Until now, VX has been used in limited cases of terrorist attacks and assassinations, but there is an increased concern about potential terrorist production and use. For this reason, studying the chemistry of VX and other less-studied V-agents is important to understand their properties and develop potential countermeasures.
V 型毒剂是极其有毒的有机磷神经毒剂。最为人熟知的 V 型毒剂是膦酰化硫代胆碱 VX 和 VR。尽管如此，其他 V 型毒剂也已被合成。本文提供了 V 型毒剂的全面概述，根据其结构对这些化合物进行了分类，以便于研究。已经确定了七种 V 型毒剂类别，包括膦酰化（n/r）硒代胆碱和不含硫的化合物，如 VP 和 EA-1576（EA：Edgewood Arsenal）。某些 V 型毒剂是通过将磷酸化农药转化为相应的膦酰化类似物设计而成的，例如源自马拉硫磷的 EA-1576。此外，本文还描述了它们的生产、物理性质、毒性和储存期间的稳定性。重要的是，V 型毒剂是一种经皮危害物，其高稳定性确保了暴露区域在数周内受到污染。1968 年在犹他州发生的 VX 事故凸显了 V 型毒剂的危险。到目前为止，VX 仅在有限的恐怖袭击和暗杀事件中使用，但人们越来越担心潜在的恐怖分子生产和使用。出于这个原因，研究 VX 和其他研究较少的 V 型毒剂的化学性质对于了解它们的性质和开发潜在的对策很重要。
