was converted to its phthalimide by heating with phthalic anhydride, and this was converted to its ethyl ester (2). Catalytic hydrogenation produced the corresponding aniline. Heating in acid with oxirane, followed by treatment with phosphorus oxychloride provided the bischloride, and removal of the protecting groups by heating in hydrochloric acid gave melphalan (3). Society and culture Legal status On 17 September 2020, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a marketing authorization for melphalan. The applicant for this medicinal product is ADIENNE S.r.l. S.U. Melphalan was approved for medical use in the European Union in November 2020. References External links Chloroethyl compounds IARC Group 1 carcinogens Nitrogen mustards Specialty drugs World Health Organization essential medicines Wikipedia medicine articles ready to translate