Characterization of technetium-99m complexes of pentane-2,4-dione bis(N-methylthiosemicarbazone)

Further characterization of the two neutral technetium-99m (99mTc) complexes of pentane-2,4-dione bis-(N-methylthiosemicarbazone) (PETS) was carried out using a new dianionic PETS derivative, 3,3-dimethyl-pentane-2,4-dione bis(N-methylthiosemicarbazone) (DM-PETS), and the well characterized 99mTc complex of 2,2,9,9-tetramethyl-4,7-diaza-1,10-decanedithiol (DADT) as references. While PETS generated two neutral 99mTc complexes, 99mTc-PETS-L1 and 99mTc-PETS-L2, by both the stannous reduction method and the ligand exchange reaction with six-coordinated 99mTc(V) complex of N,N'-ethylenebis(acetylacetone imine), DM-PETS formed only one neutral 99mTc complex. 99mTc-PETS-L2, the more lipophilic complex of the two 99mTc-PETS, was obtained with a much higher yield than 99mTc-PETS-L1 by the ligand exchange reaction of PETS with the five-coordinated 99mTc(V) complex of glucoheptonate. In addition, while 99mTc-PETS-L2 and 99mTc-DADT remained unchanged in the presence of CN- anions, a breakdown of the original complexes was observed in 99mTc-PETS-L1 and 99mTc-DM-PETS. All four 99mTc complexes exhibited similar brain, heart and pancreas extraction when injected into mice. These cumulative results imply that 99mTc-PETS-L1 and 99mTc-DM-PETS are six-coordinated mononuclear 99mTc(V) complexes and that 99mTc-PETS-L2 is a five-coordinated mononuclear 99mTc(V) complex. These results also suggest that while the chelate ring structure of the 99mTc-dithiosemicarbazone (DTS) chelate played a significant role in its stability, ionization of the third proton of the PETS molecule and the subsequent resonating structure afforded further stability to the 99mTc-PETS complex. Markedly high lipophilicity of the 99mTc-PETS-L2 may also be explained by assuming that 99mTc-PETS-L2 is the five-coordinated resonating structure.     

99mTc-2-mercaptopropionylglycine: different biliary excretion behavior in different animal species (author's transl)

Labeling of 2-mercaptopropionylglycine (2-MPG) with 99mTc, was studied and its chemical characteristics were examined. Further, biliary excretion behavior of this complex was comparatively estimated in mice, rats, and rabbits. 99mTc-2-MPG was rapidly excreted in large quantities into the bile in mice and rats: within 1 hr after injection, 51% of the injected dose was recovered from the bile in rats. On the other hand, the ligand exchange reaction between this complex and penicillamine indicates that a low hydrolyzed 99mTc species is coordinated with 2-MPG. These results suggest that a low hydrolyzed 99mTc is an effective feature in biliary excretion behavior of 99mTc compounds. Another interesting in vivo behavior of 99mTc-2-MPG is the difference observed in mice and rabbits: in mice, very high 99mTc activity is concentrated in the gallbladder and the clearance from tissues other than the gallbladder is rapid, whereas in rabbits, although a rapid and high excretion into the gallbladder is observed, a considerable high 99mTc activity is retained in the liver and the kidney. One reasons for this different in vivo behavior is the low stability of this complex at high dilution: a big animal has the large dilution volume which lead to higher decomposition estimated by the higher liver and kidney retention or the lower bile excretion. In conclusion, studies carried on 99mTc-2-MPG showed a good biliary excretion behavior but an in vivo unstableness in big animals.     

Aqueous fluoride and the preparation of [99mTc(CO)3(OH2)3]+ and 99mTc-carborane complexes

A method for the preparation of eta5-metallocarborane complexes of technetium-99m in water was developed. The key to the procedure is the use of aqueous sodium or potassium fluoride, which prevents premature degradation of the Tc(I) starting material used to prepare the carborane complexes. Solid-phase extraction was used to purify Tc-metallocarboranes derived from both ortho and meta isomers, which were isolated in good to excellent yields in high radiochemical purities. In conjunction with these studies, a series of fluoride-based "kits" were developed to produce the key precursor [99mTc(CO)3(H2O)3]+ in the absence of any other stabilizing ligand. Using this approach, [99mTc(CO)3(H2O)3]+ could be prepared directly from 99mTcO4- under a range of pH values, including neutral pH, which affords the opportunity to develop one-pot labeling procedures for base-sensitive targeting vectors.     

Glucosamine conjugates of tricarbonylcyclopentadienyl rhenium(I) and technetium(I) cores

To obtain a 99mTc glucose conjugate for imaging, double-ligand transfer (DLT) and related reactions were examined for the preparation of CpM(CO)3 (Cp = cyclopentadienyl; M = Re, Tc) complexes with pendant carbohydrates at Cp. Tricarbonyl{N-(1,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-2-amino-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranose)cyclopentadienyl carboxamide}rhenium(I) (1a) and tricarbonyl{N-(2-amino-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranose)cyclopentadienyl carboxamide}rhenium(I) (2a) were prepared. The compounds were fully characterized by mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, IR, and NMR spectroscopy. Full assignment of the NMR spectra verified the pendant nature of the glucosamine moieties in the solution state and that 2a exists as both anomers. The solid-state structure of 2a was determined by X-ray crystallography, again confirming the pendant nature of the glucosamine, but differing from the solution state in that the beta anomer crystallized preferentially (93%). Compound 2a was determined to be a high-affinity competitive inhibitor (Ki = 330 +/- 70 microM) of the glucose metabolism enzyme hexokinase, demonstrating that it retains certain biological activity. The 99mTc analogues 1b and 2b were prepared in moderate radiochemical yields by means of the single-ligand transfer (SLT) route, which is more pertinent to radiopharmaceutical synthesis.     

一种新的潜在心肌显像剂[99mTc(CO)3(TBI)3]+的制备及其生物分布研究

以[99mTcO4]-为起始物,在0.1MPa下制备了中间体[99mTc(CO)3(H2O)1]+,通过配体交换反应,叔丁基异腈(TBI)配体取代该配合物中的3个水分子,制得一种标记率大于90%的[99mTc(CO)1(TBI)1]+配合物.该配合物在室温下放置6h以上,标记率无明显变化.在正常昆明小鼠体内的生物分布实验结果表明,[99mTc(CO)3(TBI)3]+具有较高的心肌摄取,且滞留也相当好,在静脉注射5min和60min后时的心肌摄取值分别为(19.07±0.81)%(ID/g)和(18.24±2.41)%(ID/g).该配合物的非靶本底摄取较低,注射60min后的心/肝、心/肺和心/血摄取比值分别为1.02,5.83和23.69,有望发展为一种新的心肌显像剂.     

Bridging the gap between in vitro and in vivo imaging: isostructural Re and 99mTc complexes for correlating fluorescence and radioimaging studies

A bifunctional ligand that is capable of forming Re and 99mTc complexes as complementary fluorescent and radioactive probes was developed. The tridentate bis(quinoline) amine ligand, which is referred to as the SAACQ system, was prepared in a single step from Fmoc protected lysine in high yield. Reaction of the SAACQ ligand with [Re(CO)3Br3]2- resulted in the formation of the SAACQ-(Re(CO)3)+complex which exhibits favorable fluorescence properties including a long lifetime and a large Stoke's shift. Because the SAACQ ligand is derived from an amino acid, it can readily be linked to or incorporated within peptides as a means of targeting the probe to specific receptors. To demonstrate this feature, the SAACQ ligand and the SAACQ-Re complex were incorporated into fMLFG, a peptide that binds to the formyl peptide receptor (FPR). Uptake of the fMLF[(SAACQ-Re(CO)3)+]G conjugate into human leukocytes in vitro was visualized by fluorescence microscopy, and the observed distribution of the peptide was similar to that of a well-established fluorescent FPR probe. The corresponding Tc complex, fMLF[(SAACQ-99mTc(CO)3)+]G, was prepared in excellent yield from [99mTc(CO)3(OH2)3]+, which affords the opportunity to correlate the results of the microscopy experiments with in vivo radioimaging studies because the probes are isostructural.     

Evaluation of 99mTc-HIDA complex as a cholescintigraphic agent (author's transl)

In the reaction labeling N-(2,6-dimethylphenylcarbamoylmethyl) iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) with 99mTc, several complexes with different chemical characteristics were observed to occur with slight changes in the labeling conditions. Among these complexes, a complex detected in the bile of rats was limited to one complex, named as complex II. The preparation method of 99mTc-HIDA complex II and the exchange reaction between this complex and penicillamine indicate that 99mTc is coordinated with HIDA as low-hydrolyzed 99mTc in this complex. This complex is excreted rapidly through the bile and within 1 hr, about 65% of the total activity injected is recovered from bile in rats. The organ distribution of this complex was studied in mice by radioassay and in rabbits by scintillation camera and, in both cases, the radioactivity was accumulated in the gallbladder. These results suggest that the 99mTc chemical state, low-hydrolyzed state, relates to the bile excretion behavior of this complex, a potentially useful cholescintigraphic agent.     

Liposomes prepared from synthetic amphiphiles. I. Their technetium labeling and stability

In order to apply liposomes prepared from synthetic amphiphiles containing amino acid residues to radiopharmaceuticals, their labeling with 99Tc or 99mTc and stability in saline or in serum were investigated. These liposomes were highly labeled by embedding stearylamine-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid as a ligand of technetium. The labeling was more efficient at pH 7.0 than at pH 4.0 or 8.5. Among these technetium-labeled liposomes tested, liposomes containing the alanine residue were stable in saline or in 50% serum at 37 degrees C for at least 24 h, in contrast to liposomes (phosphatidylcholine: cholesterol = 1:1 molar ratio) whose stability had been enhanced by adding cholesterol.     

Rhenium analogues of promising renal imaging agents with a [99mTc(CO)3]+ core bound to cysteine-derived dipeptides, including lanthionine

The coordination chemistry of lanthionine (LANH2) and cystathionine (CSTH2) dipeptides, which respectively consist of two cysteines and one cysteine and one homocysteine linked by a thioether bridge, is almost unstudied. Recently for fac-[99mTc(CO)3(LAN)]- isomers, the first small 99mTc(CO)3 agents evaluated in humans were found to give excellent renal images and to have a high specificity for renal excretion. Herein we report the synthesis and characterization of Re complexes useful for interpreting the nature of tracer 99mTc radiopharmaceuticals. Treatment of [Re(CO)3(H2O)3]OTf with commercially available LANH2 (a mixture of meso (d,l) and chiral (dd,ll) isomers) gave three HPLC peaks, 1A, 1B, and 1C, but treatment with CSTH2 (l,l isomer) gave one major product, Re(CO)3(CSTH) (2). Crystalline Re(CO)3(LANH) products were best obtained with synthetic LANH2, richer in meso or chiral isomers. X-ray crystallography showed that these dipeptides coordinate as tridentate N2S-bound ligands with two dangling carboxyls. The LANH ligand is meso in 1A and 1C and chiral in 1B. While 1A (kinetically favored) is stable at ambient temperature for days, it converted into 1C (thermodynamically favored) at 100 degrees C; after 6 h, equilibrium was reached at a 1A:1C ratio of 1:2 at pH 8. The structures provide a rationale for this behavior and for the fact that 1A and 1C have simple NMR spectra. This simplicity results from fluxional interchange between an enantiomer with both chelate rings having the same delta pucker and an enantiomer with both chelate rings having the same lambda pucker. Agents with the [99mTc(CO)3]+ core and N2S ligands show promise of becoming an important class of 99mTc radiopharmaceuticals. The chemistry of Re analogues with these ligands, such as the LAN2- complexes reported here, provides a useful background for designing new small agents and also tagged large agents because two uncoordinated carboxyl groups are available for conjugation with biological molecules such as proteins.     

Clinical comparison of 99mTc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-human serum albumin (99mTc-HSA-D) and 99mTc-human serum albumin (99mTc-HSA) for cardiac blood pool imaging

99mTc-HSA-D has been developed as a new blood pool scanning agent. Clinical comparison of 99mTc-HSA-D and 99mTc-HSA was made in 16 cases. The activity concentration of 99mTc in blood was measured during 2 hours after the injection in five cases. 99mTc-HSA-D showed higher concentration compared to 99mTc-HSA with the passage of time. Quantitative analysis of contrast between left ventricle and septum was performed on end diastolic frames of gated images 10 minutes after the injection. There was no obvious difference between 99mTc-HSA-D and 99mTc-HSA. The subjective comparison of detectability of lesions between the two agents was performed on three directional gated images. 99mTc-HSA-D was superior to 99mTc-HSA, because the images of the latter deteriorated with the passage of time. On anterior view images 1 hour after the injection, left ventricle/lung and abdominal aorta/background count ratios were greater for 99mTc-HSA-D in many cases. There was no obvious difference in liver/background and kidney/background count ratios between the two agents. Urinary excretion of 99mTc was considerably lesser for 99mTc-HSA-D. The results indicated that 99mTc-HSA-D was superior to 99mTc-HSA for cardiac blood pool imaging.     

Thiol- and thioether-based bifunctional chelates for the {M(CO)3}+ core (M = Tc, Re)

By analogy to the recently described single amino acid chelate (SAAC) technology for complexation of the {M(CO)3}+ core (M = Tc, Re), a series of tridentate ligands containing thiolate and thioether groups, as well as amino and pyridyl nitrogen donors, have been prepared: (NC5H4CH2)2NCH2CH2SEt (L1); (NC5H4CH2)2NCH2CH2SH (L2); NC5H4CH2N(CH2CH2SH)2 (L3); (NC5H4CH2)N(CH2CH2SH)(CH2CO2R) [R = H (L4); R = -C2H5 (L5). The {Re(CO)3}+ core complexes of L1-L5 were prepared by the reaction of [Re(CO)3(H2O)3]Br or [NEt4]2[Re(CO)3Br3] with the appropriate ligand in methanol and characterized by infrared spectroscopy, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and in the case of [Re(CO)3(L2)] (Re-2) and [Re(CO)3(L1)Re(CO)3Br2] (Re-1a) by X-ray crystallography. The structure of Re-2 consists of discrete neutral monomers with a fac-Re(CO)3 coordination unit and the remaining coordination sites occupied by the amine, pyridyl, and thiolate donors of L2, leaving a pendant pyridyl arm. In contrast, the structure of Re-1a consists of discrete binuclear units, constructed from a {Re(CO)3(L1)}+ subunit linked to a {Re(CO)3Br2}- group through the sulfur donor of the pendant thioether arm. The series of complexes establishes that thiolate donors are effective ligands for the {M(CO)3}+ core and that a qualitative ordering of the coordination preferences of the core may be proposed: pyridyl nitrogen approximately thiolate > carboxylate > thioether sulfur > thiophene sulfur. The ligands L1 and L2 react cleanly with [99mTc(CO)3(H2O)3]+ in H2O/DMSO to give [99mTc(CO)3(L1)]+ (99m)Tc-1) and [99mTc(CO)3(L2)] (99mTc-2), respectively, in ca. 90% yield after HPLC purification. The Tc analogues 99mTc-1 and 99mTc-2 were subjected to ligand challenges by incubating each in the presence of 1000-fold excesses of both cysteine and histidine. The radiochromatograms showed greater than 95% recovery of the complexes.     

Preparation and biological evaluation of the new chlorin photosensitizer T3,4BCPC for detection and treatment of tumors

The new water-soluble photosensitizer 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[3,4-bis(carboxymethyleneoxy)phenyl]chlorin (T3,4BCPC) has been prepared, characterized and labeled with 99mTc radionuclide. The radiotracer was evaluated for tissue distribution in Wistar rats. Accumulation of administrated activities in the liver, kidney, bladder and large intestine at 4 h post-injection indicated that the labeled ligand was largely eliminated through the renal and partly through the hepatobiliary system. In vivo biodistribution studies of the labeled compound were carried out in rodent and murine tumor models in comparison with other tumor-seeking radiopharmaceuticals such as 99mTc(V)-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), 201thallous chloride (TlCl) and 99mTc-citrate using a gamma camera computer system. In N-nitrosomethylurea (NMU)-induced rat mammary tumors, the labeled ligand showed a five-fold tumor to muscle (T/M) ratio compared to 99mTc(V)-DMSA (3-fold) and 201TlCl (3-fold). In the case of C(3)H/J virus-induced spontaneous mammary tumors, the differences were not marked. However, in the transplanted rat C(6)-glioma, the T/M ratio of the labeled compound was appreciably higher (four-fold) than that noted with 99mTc(V)-DMSA (two-fold), 201TlCl (three-fold) and 99mTc-citrate (more than three-fold). These findings suggest that the radiolabeled T3,4BCPC may have potential for the detection of cancer. In order to ascertain the efficacy of the compound for photodynamic therapy applications, a preclinical PDT study was carried out in fibrosarcoma-bearing mice after injecting 5.0 mg/kg body weight of the T3,4BCPC. A laser dose of 20 mW for 60 s resulted in 80% destruction of tumors. These data suggest that this molecule could be useful for PDT of cancer. The labeled agent could also be useful in monitoring the progression/regression of tumors before, during, and after chemotherapy, radiation therapy or PDT.     

Chiral dihydrobenzofuran-based diphosphine (BICMAP): optical resolution and application to rhodium(I)-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of aryl- and alkenylboronic acids to cyclic enones

Chiral dihydrobenzofuran-based diphosphine ligand (BICMAP) 1 was used as a ligand for the rhodium(I)-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of arylboronic acids to cyclic enones up to 99% ee. We also found that the BICMAP-rhodium system was an efficient catalyst for the 1,4-addition of alkenylboronic acids to 2-cyclohexenone in good enantioselectivities.     

"Click-to-chelate": design and incorporation of triazole-containing metal-chelating systems into biomolecules of diagnostic and therapeutic interest

The site-specific conjugation of metal chelating systems to biologically relevant molecules is an important contemporary topic in bioinorganic and bioorganometallic chemistry. In this work, we have used the CuI-catalyzed cycloaddition of azides and terminal alkynes to synthesise novel ligand systems, in which the 1,2,3-triazole is an integral part of the metal chelating system. A diverse set of bidentate alkyne building blocks with different aliphatic and aromatic backbones and various donor groups were prepared. The bidentate alkynes were reacted with benzyl azide in the presence of a catalytic amount of CuI to form tridentate model ligands. The chelators were reacted with [ReBr3(CO)3]2- to form well-defined and stable complexes with different overall charges, structures and hydrophilicities. In all cases tridentate coordination of the ligands, including through N3 of the 1,2,3-triazole ring, was observed. The ligand systems could also be quantitatively radiolabelled with the precursor [99 mTc (H2O)3(CO)3]+ at low ligand concentrations. Similarly the alkynes were reacted with an azido thymidine derivative to form a series of compounds, which could be radiolabelled in situ to form single products. Subsequent incubation of the neutral and cationic organometallic 99 mTc thymidine derivatives with human cytosolic thymidine kinase, a key enzyme in tumour proliferation, revealed that only the neutral compounds maintained substrate activity towards the enzyme. Bioconjugation, radiolabelling and enzymatic reactions were successfully performed in a matter of hours. Thus, click chemistry provides an elegant method for rapidly functionalising a biologically relevant molecule with a variety of efficient metal chelators suitable for (radio)labelling with the M(CO)3 core (M=99 mTc, Re), to offer new potential for technetium-99 m in clinical and preclinical tracer development.     

三羰基锝配体基苯基甲磺酰胺的合成与表征

以2-氨基-5-硝基苯酚为原料经过酚羟基烷基化、氨基甲磺酰化、硝基还原为氨基后,进行溴乙酰化以及N-烷基化5步反应制得了三羰基锝标记配体基：N-[2-环己基甲氧基-4(1-(2,2′-二吡啶甲基)胺基)乙酰胺基]苯基甲磺酰胺(NSC-PA),并对反应条件进行了优化。 中间体及目标化合物经红外、质谱和核磁共振氢谱进行了结构表征,HPLC法测定最终产物的纯度大于98%。 该目标化合物可以作为三羰基锝标记前体,为进一步开发乳腺癌显像药物奠定了基础。     

A new [2 + 1] mixed ligand concept based on [99(m)Tc(OH2)3(CO)3]+: a basic study

Mixed ligand fac-tricarbonyl complexes of the general formula [M(L1)(L2)(CO)3](M = Re, 99(m)Tc, L1= imidazole, benzyl isocyanide, L2 = 1H-imidazole-4-carboxylic acid, pyridine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid, pyridine-2,5-dicarboxylic acid) have been prepared starting from the precursors [M(OH2)3(CO)3]+. The complexes can be obtained in good yield and purity in a two-step procedure by first attaching the bidentate ligand followed by addition of the monodentate. 99mTc compounds can also be prepared at the tracer level in one-pot procedures with L1 and L2 being concomitantly present. This [2 + 1] approach allows the labeling of bioactive molecules containing a monodentate or a bidentate donor site. Examples given in here are N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)glycyl-N-(3-(imidazol-1-yl)propyl)phenylalaninamide, 5-((3-(imidazol-1-yl)propyl)aminomethyl)-2'-deoxyuridine and 4-(5-isonitrilpentyl)-1-(2-methoxyphenyl)-piperazine as L1 and N-((6-carboxypyridine-3-yl)methyl)glycylphenylalanine as L2. The corresponding second ligand can be used to influence the physico-chemical properties of the conjugate. The crystal structures of [99Tc(OH2)(imc)(CO)3], [Re(OH2)(2,4-dipic)(CO)3], [Re(bic)(2,4-dipic)(CO)3] and [Re(im)(2,5-dipic)(CO)3] are reported.     

Syntheses and characterization of dicarbonyl-nitrosyl complexes of technetium(I) and rhenium(I) in aqueous media: spectroscopic, structural, and DFT analyses

This work describes new synthetic routes to produce mixed carbonyl-nitrosyl complexes of technetium(I) and rhenium(I) in aqueous media. NaNO2, NOHSO4, and NO2(g) have been used to produce in situ nitrous acid as the primary source of NO+. Starting from the organometallic precursor fac-[MX3(CO)3]+, 1 (M = 99Tc, Re; X = Cl, Br), the formation of mixed dicarbonyl-mononitrosyl complexes was observed in aqueous hydrochloric and hydrobromic acid. Time-dependent analyses of the reactions by means of HATR-IR and 99Tc NMR spectroscopy in solution revealed the almost quantitative substitution of one CO ligand by NO+ and, thus, the formation of complexes with facial arrangement of the three pi-acceptor ligands. In the case of technetium, the monomeric complex (NEt4)[TcCl3(CO)2NO] (3a) and the dimeric, chloride-bridged, neutral complex [TcCl(mu-Cl)(CO)2NO]2 (4a) were produced. In the case of rhenium, the monomeric species (NEt4)[ReBr2X(CO)2NO] (X = Br (3b), NO3 (5)) was solely isolated. The X-ray structure of complexes 4a and 5 are discussed. The crystallographic analyses revealed the coordination of the NO+ group trans to the terminal chloride (4a) or the bromide (5), respectively. Crystal data: complex 4a (C4Cl4N2O(6)Tc2), monoclinic, Cc, a = 18.82(3) A, b = 6.103(6) A, c = 12.15(2) A, alpha = 90 degrees , beta = 105.8(2) degrees , gamma = 90 degrees , V = 1343(3) A(3), Z = 4; complex 5 (C10H20N3O(6)Br2Re), orthorhombic, P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 10.2054(5) A, b = 12.5317(7) A, c = 13.9781(7) A, V = 1787.67(16) A(3), Z = 4. The isolated complexes and their potential facial isomers have been further investigated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The energy differences of the isomers are relatively small; however, the calculated energies are consistent with the formation of the observed and isolated compounds. The calculated bond lengths and angles of complex 5 are in good agreement with the data determined by X-ray diffraction. Experiments on the no-carrier-added level starting from fac-[99mTc(H2O)3(CO)3]+ revealed the formation of the complex fac-[99mTcCl(H2O)2(CO)2NO]+ in reasonable good yields. This aqueous-based, synthetic approach will enable the future evaluation of this novel, low-valent metal precursor for potential use in radiopharmacy.     

fac-[Re(CO)(3)L](+) complexes with N-CH(2)-CH(2)-X-CH(2)-CH(2)-N tridentate ligands. synthetic, X-ray crystallographic, and NMR spectroscopic investigations

Polyamine ligands (L) have excellent binding characteristics for the formation of fac-99mTc(CO)3-based radiopharmaceuticals. Normally, these L are elaborated so as to leave pendant groups designed to impart useful biodistribution characteristics to the fac-[99mTc(CO)3L] imaging agent. Our goal is to lay a foundation for understanding the features of the bound elaborated ligands by using the fac-[Re(CO)3L]-analogue approach with the minimal prototypical ligands, diethylenetriamine (dien) or simple dien-related derivatives. Treatment of the fac-[Re(CO)3(H2O)3]+ cation with such triamine (NNN) ligands afforded fac-[Re(CO)3L]+ complexes. Ligand variations included having a central amine thioether donor, thus allowing X-ray crystallographic and NMR spectroscopic comparisons of fac-[Re(CO)3L]+ complexes with NNN and NSN ligands. fac-[Re(CO)3L]+ complexes with two terminal exo-NH groups exhibit unusually far upfield exo-NH NMR signals in DMSO-d6. Upon the addition of Cl-, these exo-NH signals move downfield, while the signals of any endo-NH or central NH groups move very little. This behavior is attributed to the formation of 1:1 ion pairs having selective Cl- hydrogen bonding to both exo-NH groups. Base addition to a DMSO-d6 solution of meso-exo-[Re(CO)3(N,N',N'-Me3dien)]PF6 led to isomerization of only one NHMe group, producing the chiral isomer. The meso isomer did not form. The [Re(CO)3(N,N,N',N',N'-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine)]triflate.[Re(CO)3(mu3-OH)]4.3.35H2O crystal, the first structure with a fac-[Re(CO)3L] complex cocrystallized with this well-known cluster, provided parameters for a bulky NNN ligand and also reveals CO-CO interlocking intermolecular interactions that could stabilize the crystal.     

Amino acids labeled with [99mTc(CO)3]+ and recognized by the L-type amino acid transporter LAT1

We have synthesized amino acids conjugated at the alpha-carbon through an alkyl spacer to a small tripod ligand. The tripod coordinates to the fac-[M(CO)3]+ moiety (M = Re, 99mTc). Depending on the lengths of the spacers, these metal complexes with pendent alpha-amino acids are recognized and transported by the l-type amino acid transporter LAT1. The best result was achieved with a butyl spacer. The Ki value of the corresponding complex is comparable to that of the artificial amino acid BCH. Efflux of [3H]-l-phenylalanine shows that the labeled amino acids do not only bind to the transporter but are transported into the cells. These are the first metal-labeled small molecules which are actively internalized to the intracellular space.     

MO tripeptide diastereomers (M=99/99mTc, Re): models to identify the structure of 99mTc peptide targeted radiopharmaceuticals

Biologically active molecules, such as many peptides, serve as targeting vectors for radiopharmaceuticals based on 99mTc. Tripeptides can be suitable chelates and are easily and conveniently synthesized and linked to peptide targeting vectors through solid-phase peptide synthesis and form stable TcVO complexes. Upon complexation with [TcO]3+, two products form; these are syn and anti diastereomers, and they often have different biological behavior. This is the case with the approved radiopharmaceutical [99mTcO]depreotide ([99mTcO]P829, NeoTect) that is used to image lung cancer. [99mTcO]depreotide indeed exhibits two product peaks in its HPLC profile, but assignment of the product peaks to the diastereomers has proven to be difficult because the metal peptide complex is difficult to crystallize for structural analysis. In this study, we isolated diastereomers of [99TcO] and [ReO] complexes of several tripeptide ligands that model the metal chelator region of [99mTcO]depreotide. Using X-ray crystallography, we observed that the early eluting peak (A) corresponds to the anti diastereomer, where the Tc=O group is on the opposite side of the plane formed by the ligand backbone relative to the pendant groups of the tripeptide ligand, and the later eluting peak (B) corresponds to the syn diastereomer, where the Tc=O group is on the same side of the plane as the residues of the tripeptide. 1H NMR and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy report on the metal environment and prove to be diagnostic for syn or anti diastereomers, and we identified characteristic features from these techniques that can be used to assign the diastereomer profile in 99mTc peptide radiopharmaceuticals like [99mTcO]depreotide and in 188Re peptide radiotherapeutic agents. Crystallography, potentiometric titration, and NMR results presented insights into the chemistry occurring under physiological conditions. The tripeptide complexes where lysine is the second amino acid crystallized in a deprotonated metallo-amide form, possessing a short N1-M bond. The pKa measurements of the N1 amine (pKa approximately 5.6) suggested that this amine is rendered more acidic by both metal complexation and the presence of the lysine residue. Furthermore, peptide chelators incorporating a lysine (like the chelator of [TcO]depreotide) likely exist in the deprotonated form in vivo, comprising a neutral metal center. Deprotonation possibly mediates the interconversion process between the syn and anti diastereomers. The N1 amine group on non-lysine-containing metallopeptides is not as acidic (pKa approximately 6.8) and does not deprotonate and crystallize as do the metallo-amide species. Three of the tripeptide ligands (FGC, FSC, and FKC) were radiolabeled with 99mTc, and the individual syn and anti isomers were isolated for biodistribution studies in normal female nude mice. The main organs of uptake were the liver, intestines, and kidneys, with the FGC compounds exhibiting the highest liver uptake. In comparing the diastereomers, the syn compounds had substantially higher organ uptake and slower blood clearance than the anti compounds.