Correlation of teratogenicity and molecular structure: Ethylenethiourea and related compounds

Sixteen compounds related to ethylenethiourea and to its parent compound, ethylenebisdithiocarbamate, were investigated to determine the structural requirement for teratogenicity. Modifications of the molecular structure of ethylenethiourea involved altered ring size and added heteroatoms and substituents. Only ethylenethiourea and 4-methylethylenethiourea were teratogenic, indicating that teratogenicity was intimately linked with the imidazolidinethione structure.