New bioalkylating and bioacylating agents with expected high reactivity and selectivity will be synthesized. These reagents comprise new dialkyl- and alkylene-halonium ion complexes and their covalent precursors, as well new oxonium and sulfonium ion type reagents. Structural study of alkylating and acylating systems, including those of intermediate active ions, will be carried out emphasizing the application of two new, extremely powerful spectroscopic methods to these studies: fast Fourier transform nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (FTNMR), particularly carbon-13 FTCMR and X-ray induced photoelectron spectroscopy (IEE or ESCA). Work will include not only structural study of alkylating (acylating) agents, but also will center on study of site of alkylation (acylation, carboxylation) of model substrates, such as nucleic acid bases and small peptides. As further models for possible sites of activity arenium ions derived from protonation of carcinogenic hydrocarbons will be studied, again by the use of FTCMR and IEE spectroscopy. An attempt will be made to correlate CMR and IEE data and to develop new direct relationships, which should greatly help in the study of relationship of structure with expected activity. The synthesis of biomonomers starting from methane, carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide will be studied via new electrophilic activation of methane allowing functionalization at modest temperatures (greater than 65 degrees) and pressures. For comparison the formation of biomonomers will also be studied from simple gas mixtures (CH4,NH3,H2 and H20) at comparable low temperatures under the effect of simplified forms of triboelectric exitations.