Preparation of NIn-Methyl-6-[18F]fluoro- and 5-Hydroxy-7-[18F]fluorotryptophans as Candidate PET-Tracers for Pathway-Specific Visualization of Tryptophan Metabolism

Tryptophan (Trp) is an essential proteinogenic amino acid and metabolic precursor for several signaling molecules that has been implicated in many physiological and pathological processes. Since the two main branches of Trp metabolism-serotonin biosynthesis and kynurenine pathway-are differently affected by a variety of neurological and neoplastic diseases, selective visualization of these pathways is of high clinical relevance. However, while positron emission tomography (PET) with existing probes can be used for non-invasive assessment of total Trp metabolism, optimal imaging agents for pathway-specific PET imaging are still lacking. In this work, we describe the preparation of two 18F-labeled Trp derivatives, NIn-methyl-6-[18F]fluorotryptophan (NIn-Me-6-[18F]FTrp) and 5-hydroxy-7-[18F]fluorotryptophan (5-HO-7-[18F]FTrp). We also report feasible synthetic routes for the preparation of the hitherto unknown boronate radiolabeling precursors and non-radioactive reference compounds. Under optimized conditions, alcohol-enhanced Cu-mediated radiofluorination of the respective precursors afforded NIn-Me-6-[18F]FTrp and 5-HO-7-[18F]FTrp as application-ready solutions in radiochemical yields of 45 ± 7% and 29 ± 4%, respectively. As such, our work provides access to two promising candidate probes for pathway-specific visualization of Trp metabolism in amounts sufficient for their preclinical evaluation.

Studies toward welwitindolinones: formal syntheses of N-methylwelwitindolinone C isothiocyanate and related natural products

The formal syntheses of N-methylwelwitindolinone C isothiocyanate (4) and several other welwitindolinones 5-8 were achieved by the independent synthesis of 79. The synthesis featured a Lewis acid-mediated coupling between a heteroaryl carbinol and bis-TMS enol ether, an intramolecular enolate arylation, and an unprecedented intramolecular allylic alkylation of a γ-acyloxyenone.

Indolyne experimental and computational studies: synthetic applications and origins of selectivities of nucleophilic additions

Efficient syntheses of 4,5-, 5,6-, and 6,7-indolyne precursors beginning from commercially available hydroxyindole derivatives are reported. The synthetic routes are versatile and allow access to indolyne precursors that remain unsubstituted on the pyrrole ring. Indolynes can be generated under mild fluoride-mediated conditions, trapped by a variety of nucleophilic reagents, and used to access a number of novel substituted indoles. Nucleophilic addition reactions to indolynes proceed with varying degrees of regioselectivity; distortion energies control regioselectivity and provide a simple model to predict the regioselectivity in the nucleophilic additions to indolynes and other unsymmetrical arynes. This model has led to the design of a substituted 4,5-indolyne that exhibits enhanced nucleophilic regioselectivity.

Indolynes as electrophilic indole surrogates: fundamental reactivity and synthetic applications

A mild method to access a variety of substituted indole derivatives has been developed. The strategy relies on the generation of highly reactive indolyne intermediates, which function as electrophilic indole surrogates.

Biaryl phosphane ligands in palladium-catalyzed amination

Palladium-catalyzed amination reactions of aryl halides have undergone rapid development in the last 12 years, largely driven by the implementation of new classes of ligands. Biaryl phosphanes have proven to provide especially active catalysts in this context. This Review discusses the application of these catalysts in C-N cross-coupling reactions in the synthesis of heterocycles and pharmaceuticals, in materials science, and in natural product synthesis.