712-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene

7,12-di·meth·yl·benz[a]an·thra·cene (di-meth″əl-benz-anґthrə-sēn) 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene; a highly carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon produced during incomplete combustion of carbonaceous materials. It is a procarcinogen that requires metabolic activation to an epoxide intermediate to exert a mutagenic effect; it is widely used in research on chemical carcinogenesis. Abbreviated DMBA.