Dichlorodifluoromethane, also known as Freon 12, was used as a refrigerant and aerosol spray propellant. However, its production was banned, because of the destroy the ozone layer. Experiments on animal failed to show any carcinogenic effects of this compound.

Acetic anhydride is an esterification agent for use in prepn. of modified food starch and for acetylation of monoglycerides. Acetic anhydride is a versatile reagent for acetylations, the introduction of acetyl groups to organic substrates. Acetic anhydride is the chemical compound with the formula (CH3CO)2O (commonly abbreviated Ac2O). Ac2O is mainly used for acetylations leading to commercially significant materials. Its largest application is for the conversion of cellulose to cellulose acetate, which is a component of photographic film and other coated materials. Similarly it is used in the production of aspirin, acetyl salicylic acid, which is prepared by the acetylation of salicylic acid. It is also used as a wood preservative via autoclave impregnation to make a longer lasting timber. Ac2O is also used in many industrial processes for the production of plastics, textiles, dyes, photochemical agents, perfumes, explosives and cigarette filters. Because of its use for the synthesis of heroin by the diacetylation of morphine, acetic anhydride (known as 'AA' in clandestine chemistry circles) is listed as a U.S. DEA List II Precursor, and restricted in many other countries.

Echinocandin B is a naturally occurring antibiotic, isolated from Aspergillus nidulans. It acts as an inhibitor of fungal β-1,3-glucan synthase thereby disrupting the formation of the fungal cell wall. The drug itself was not developed in the clinic, but instead, it was used in the production of other echinocandin derivatives.

Perilla alcohol is a naturally occurring monoterpene related to limonene. It is isolated from the essential oils of lavender, peppermint, spearmint, cherries, celery seeds, and several other plants. It has been used topically as a mosquito repellant and in toiletries and may be touted as a constituent of natural products such as tart cherry juice. Perillyl alcohol has demonstrated antiangiogenesis and anticancer effects in vitro. Purported mechanism of action is suppression of the synthesis of small G proteins, including RAS, thereby arresting tumor cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Early clinical studies did not efficacy in prostate, ovarian or breast cancer, probably due to bad pharmacokinetic properties and toxicity after oral administration. More recent preliminary studies found intranasal delivery in patients with malignant gliomas to be well-tolerated and effective, with one study reporting tumor size regression, and another reporting increased overall survival and no side effects after long-term use.

Diethylnorspermine is the structural analog of polyamines. Polyamines were shown to downregulate polyamine synthesis and uptake, upregulate polyamine catabolism, and result in a profound depletion of polyamines. Diethylnorspermine is adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor and spermidine-spermine N1-acetyltransferase stimulant. Diethylnorspermine is under investigation as a novel anticancer drug for a variety of neoplasms. It has sustained inhibitory effects on the growth of human prostate carcinoma cells in vitro as well in vivo. This polyamine analog may provide a new tool in the chemotherapy of prostate cancers with various phenotypes. Diethylnorspermine was relatively well tolerated in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) including those with mild-to-moderate liver dysfunction but further evaluation of diethylnorspermine monotherapy for advanced HCC does not appear to be justified because of insufficient evidence of clinical benefit in the patients evaluated in this study. Also, no evidence of clinical activity was detected in metastatic breast cancer treatment (phase II clinical study).