The invention provides compounds of formula (I) and (II) wherein X and Y are independently chlorine, bromine, iodine, a mesyl group CH.sub.3 SO.sub.3 or a tosyl group OSO.sub.2 phenyl (wherein phenyl is optionally substituted by 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 substituents independently selected from C.sub.1-4 alkyl, halogen, cyano or nitro; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently 1 to 4 optional substituents; Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2 are each independently --O-- or --NH--; R.sup.3 is hydrogen, t-butyl or allyl; Z.sup.3 is a hydrocarbyl group such as carboxyethyl, optionally containing heteroatoms, and physiologically acceptable derivatives thereof. The compounds can be converted in situ into nitrogen mustard agents by the actions of enzymes such as carboxypeptidase or nitroreductase and are useful for the treatment of cancer. ##STR1##
该发明提供了式(I)和(II)的化合物,其中X和Y分别是
氯、
溴、
碘、甲磺基CH.sub.3 SO.sub.3或苯基OSO.sub.2(其中苯基可以选择性地被1、2、3、4或5个取代基独立地选择自C.sub.1-4烷基、卤素、
氰基或硝基),R.sup.1和R.sup.2分别是1至4个可选的取代基,Z.sup.1和Z.sup.2各自独立地是--O--或--NH--,R.sup.3是氢、叔丁基或烯丙基,Z.sup.3是类似羧乙基的碳氢基团,可以选择地包含杂原子,以及其生理上可接受的衍
生物。这些化合物可以通过类似羧肽酶或
硝酸还原酶等酶的作用在原位转化为
氮芥类药剂,并且可用于治疗癌症。