The Mechanism of Activation of 4-Hydroxycyclophosphamide

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jm00385a029

4-Hydroxycyclophosphamide (2/3) of unknown stereochemistry is the initial metabolite formed after administration of cyclophosphamide (1).Ultimate conversion to the cytotoxic metabolite phosphoramide mustard (6) is initiated by ring opennig of 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide to produce aldophosphamide (4).The ring-opennig reaction and subsequent equilibration of 2-4 are subject to general-acid catalysis, and the equilibrium composition is independent of buffer structure and pH.In contrast, formation of 6 from 4 proceeds by general-base-catalyzed β-elimination. trans-4-Hydroxycyclophosphamide undergoes ring opening ca. 4 times faster than the cis isomer, and cyclization of 4 favors the trans isomer by a factor of ca. 3 over the cis isomer.The rapid equilibration of 2-5 and the absence of elimination to give 6 at pH ca. 5 provides a convenient method to prepare a stable equilibrium mixture of activated cyclophosphamide metabolites suitable for in vitro use.