Synthesis of radioiodinated 4-[*I]iodoantipyrine via isotopic exchange

Radioiodinated 4-*I]iodoantipyrine labeled with radioiodine (i.e., ¹²³I or ¹²⁵I or ¹³¹I) has been used for modeling radiation damage on cell nuclei of tumor cells where the characteristic high linear energy transfer (high-LET) of the Auger electron could be demonstrated. Also, the compound is currently used for the measurement of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in autoradiography. 4-¹³¹I]iodoantipyrine was synthesized by two methods via a nucleophilic isotopic exchange reaction between ¹³¹I as iodide ion ¹³¹I^–] and inactive 4-¹²⁷I]iodoantipyrine: either in absolute ethyl alcohol catalyzed by ammonium acetate or in dry state molten ammonium acetate (m.p. 114 °C) as an isotopic exchange medium without carrier addition. The first one is called wet method: where a solution of 4-iodoantipyrine and ammonium acetate in absolute ethyl alcohol and lyophilized Na¹³¹I was heated briefly up to boiling (80 to 90 °C) for 30 minutes under reflux. The second one is called dry state-molten method: where the alcoholic solution containing 4-iodoantipyrine and ammonium acetate and the lyophilized Na¹³¹I were heated briefly in a nitrogen stream to dryness at 120 to 125 °C for 5 minutes or melted by gradual heating at 150 to 160 °C for 5 minutes. A radiochemical yield ranged between 90%–95% in each method has been obtained for 4-¹³¹I]iodoantipyrine. In both methods, the reaction proceeds properly without carrier addition by an addition – elimination mechanism. The physico-chemical parameters affecting the radiochemical yield of the isotopic exchange reaction i.e., reaction time, temperature, exchange medium, concentration of the reactants, carrier (KI) addition and pH] were investigated. Chromatographic analysis i.e., TLC and HPLC were used to determine the radiochemical yield as well as the purity of the final product, which was as pure as 99.9%.