Aqueous syntheses of [(Cp-R)M(CO)3] type complexes (Cp = cyclopentadienyl, M = Mn, Tc, Re) with bioactive functionalities

We describe reactions of ^99mTc(H₂O)₃(CO)₃)]⁺ (1) with Diels-Alder products of cyclopentadiene such as “Thiele’s acid” (HCp-COOH)₂ (2) and derivatives thereof in which the corresponding (Cp-COOH)^99mTc(CO)₃)] (3) complex did form in water. We propose a metal mediated Diels-Alder reaction mechanism. To show that this reaction was not limited to carboxylate groups, we synthesized conjugates of 2 (HCp-CONHR)₂ (4a-c) (4a, R = benzyl amine; 4b, R = N_α-Boc-l-2,3-diaminopropionic acid and 4c, R = glycine). The corresponding ^99mTc complexes (4a)^99mTc(CO)₃)] 6a, (4b)^99mTc(CO)₃)] 6b and (4c)^99mTc(CO)₃)] 6c have been prepared along the same route as for Thiele’s acid in aqueous media demonstrating the general applicability of this synthetic strategy. The authenticity of the ^99mTc complexes on the no carrier added level have been confirmed by chromatographic comparison with the structurally characterized manganese or rhenium complexes.Studies of the reaction of 1 with Thiele’s acid bound to a solid phase resin demonstrated the formation of (Cp-COOH)^99mTc(CO)₃)] 3 in a heterogeneous reaction. This is the first evidence for the formation of no carrier added ^99mTc radiopharmaceuticals containing cyclopentadienyl ligands via solid phase syntheses. Macroscopically, the manganese analogue 5a and the rhenium complexes 5b-c have been prepared and characterized by IR, NMR, ESI-MS and X-ray crystallography for 5a (monoclinic, P2₁/c, a = 9.8696(2) Å, b = 25.8533(4) Å, c = 11.8414(2) Å, β = 98.7322(17)°) in order to unambiguously assign the authenticity of the corresponding ^99mTc complexes.