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The artificial protein antigens obtained by the chemical combination of proteins with diazotized substituted benzenes (Landsteiner and Lampl, 1) and with phenyl isocyanate (Hopkins and Wormall, 2-4) exhibit immunological characteristics which are dependent on the " determinant group " attached to the protein.The demonstration of carcinogenesis from pure hydrocarbons suggested the possibility of forming similar antigens with the carcinogenic substance as the " determinant group." The development of the malignant state might then be brought into the realm of immunology. Further importance is added to such an approach by the recent synthesis of methylcholanthrene from desoxycholic acid and from cholic acid and by the demonstration of the carcinogenic activity of some of the naturally occurring hormones. Specific immunological response to such substances might then be proved of interest to the problem of spontaneous carcinogenesis.In this paper, a report is given of the synthesis of antigens consisting of protein with the carcinogenic 1 : 2 : 5 : 6-dibenzanthracene and other related non-carcinogenic hydrocarbons as the determinant groups. Their properties have been studied by chemical and serologic methods. Some preliminary notes on the biological activity of these compounds are included.The method of Hopkins and Wormall (2) was selected for the preparation of the " protein-hydrocarbon compounds " because the synthesis of the isocyanate~ of the higher aromatic hydrocarbons proved more feasible than the diazotization of their amines. Anthranyl isocyanate (m.p. 75-75.5' corr.) and 1 : 2 : 5 :6-dibenzanthranyl isocyanate (m.p. 181-181.5' corr.) were synthesized and identified (Creech and Franks,5) .' Hopkins and Wormall (2 ) consider that the isocyanates react mainly with the epsilon amino group of the lysine molecules of the protein. Tyrosine also may be involved in the coupling reaction. However, the terminology of Hopkins and Wormall will be employed in this article and the " protein-hydrocarbon compounds " will be named anthranyl-carbamido-proteins and dibenzanthranyl-carbamidoproteins."

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