title: In vitro metabolism of chloroprene: species differences, epoxide stereochemistry and a de-chlorination pathway.
abstract: Chloroprene (1) was metabolized by liver microsomes from Sprague-Dawley rats, Fischer 344 rats, B6C3F1 mice, and humans to the monoepoxides, (1-chloro-ethenyl)oxirane (5a/5b), and 2-chloro-2-ethenyloxirane (4a/4b). The formation of 4a/4b was inferred from the identification of their degradation products. With male Sprague-Dawley and Fischer 344 rat liver microsomes, there was a ca. 3:2 preference for the formation of (R)-(1-chloroethenyl)oxirane (5a) compared to the (S)-enantiomer (5b). A smaller but distinct enantioselectivity in the formation of (S)-(1-chloro-ethenyl)oxirane occurred with liver microsomes from male mouse (R:S, 0.90:1) or male human (R:S, 0.86:1). 2-Chloro-2-ethenyloxirane was very unstable in the presence of the microsomal mixture and was rapidly converted to 1-hydroxybut-3-en-2-one (11) and 1-chlorobut-3-en-2-one (12). An additional rearrangement pathway of 2-chloro-2-ethenyloxirane gave rise to 2-chlorobut-3-en-1-al (14) and 2-chlorobut-2-en-1-al (15). Further reductive metabolism of these metabolites occurred to form 1-hydroxybutan-2-one (17) and 1-chlorobutan-2-one (18). In the absence of an epoxide hydrolase inhibitor, the microsomal incubations converted (1-chloroethenyl)oxirane to 3-chlorobut-3-ene-1,2-diol (21a/21b). When microsomal incubations were supplemented with glutathione, 1-hydroxybut-3-en-2-one was not detected because of its rapid conjugation with this thiol scavenger.
authors.affiliation: Syngenta Central Toxicology Laboratory, Alderley Park, Macclesfield, SK10 4TJ, U.K.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cottrell
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Golding
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Munter
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002737:Chloroprene / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012016:Reference Values; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D002737:Chloroprene