Alkylating agent
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Alkylating agents are organic chemicals that transfer alkyl groups to other molecules, the process being called alkylation. Alkylating agents are widely used in chemistry because the alkyl group is probably the most common group encountered in molecules. Alkylating agents are routine reagents in the synthesis of many plastics and pharmaceuticals. Although alkylating agents are indisputably useful, they are often bioactive. For example, they have also been used, or proposed, as chemical weapons, e.g. Mustard gas.
In modern medical parlance, the term "alkylating agent" usually refers to an alkylating antineoplastic agent that attaches an alkyl group to DNA.
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