Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry

Mechlorethamine (chlormethine): An anticancer drug that works by alkylating both strands of the DNA double helix, forming an irreversible cross link, leading to cell death.

Molecular structure of mechlorethamine. IUPAC name 2-chloro-N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-methylethan-1-amine.


Mechanism by which mechlorethamine forms a crosslink between the two DNA strands.