The acute mammalian toxicology of dibenz(b,f)-1,4-oxazepine

Abstract

Dibenz(b,f)-1,4-oxazepine (CR), a potent peripheral sensory irritant material, has been shown to have a very low acute lethal and sub-lethal toxicity by intravenous, intraperitoneal, oral, percutaneous and inhalation routes to several species of laboratory mammal. There was no organ-specific pathology. Comparison of the acute toxicity of CR with that of two other peripheral sensory irritants, 1-chloroacetophenone (CN) and 2-chlorobenzyl-lidene malononitrile (CS), shows CR to be significantly less toxic than either of them. Pyrotechnically generated CR smoke was more toxic than pure (thermally generated) aerosols of CR; this was due to the presence of pyrotechnic decomposition products in the atmosphere from the burning of the smoke generating composition. However, the median lethal toxicity of pyrotechnically generated CR smoke was very significantly less than that of either pyrotechnically generated CN or CS smokes. Short-term cumulative toxicity did not occur following multiple oral dosing with CR. The acute toxicology of three ether intermediates encountered in the synthesis of CR from 1-chloro-2-nitrobenzene and sodium phenoxide (2-nitrodiphenyl ether, 2-aminodiphenyl ether and 2-formamidodiphenyl ether) was investigated; all three ethers were found to be less acutely toxic than CR itself.