Methyl Methanesulfonate

**Semantic type:** Hazardous or Poisonous Substance

**Definition:** A stable, colorless, combustible liquid that emits toxic fumes of sulfoxide when heated to decomposition. Methyl methanesulfonate is used for laboratory purposes as a catalyst in chemical synthesis and has been tested clinically as a cancer chemotherapeutic agent. This substance is an alkylating agent and acts as a mutagen by altering and damaging DNA and is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen. (NCI05)

**Synonyms:** - METHYL METHANESULFONATE - MMS - Methanesulfonic Acid Methyl Ester - Methyl Mesylate - Methyl methanesulfonate - as-Dimethyl Sulfite