Syntheses of [11C]methyl esters of prostaglandins D2 and E2

Synthesis of [isopropyl-11C]nimodipine for in vivo studies of dihydropyridine binding in man using positron emission tomography

Nimodipine, an antagonist of the L-type calcium ion channel, was labelled with 11C for in vivo positron emission tomography studies of dihydropyridine binding in the human brain. The synthesis was based on esterification of the corresponding acid (W2100) using [2-11C]isopropyl iodide as the labelling precursor. The effects of different bases, solvent mixtures and reaction temperatures on radiochemical yields were investigated. The synthesis including purification by semi-preparative reversed-phase HPLC, required 60-65 min. Conversion of [2-11C]isopropyl iodide to [isopropyl-11C] nimodipine was of the order of 60-80%. The radiochemical yield (isolated) was 20-25%, based on [11C]carbon dioxide. The specific activity of the isolated product varied from 4-40 GBq/mumol (end-of-synthesis).

11C-labelling of Ro 15-1788 in two different positions, and also 11C-labelling of its main metabolite Ro 15-3890, for PET studies of benzodiazepine receptors

The benzodiazepine receptor antagonist Ro 15-1788 has been labelled with 11C in two different positions [( methyl-11C]Ro 15-1788 (I) and [ethyl-11C]Ro 15-1788 (II]. Product I was prepared by N-alkylation of the desmethyl compound (Ro 15-5528) with [11C]methyl iodide and product II was prepared by esterification of the desethyl compound (Ro 15-3890) with [11C]ethyl iodide. Ro 15-3890, the main metabolic product of Ro 15-1788, was labelled by two synthetic routes. In route A, [methyl-11C]Ro 15-3890 (III) was prepared by N-alkylation of the corresponding desmethyl compound (Ro 15-6877) with [11C]methyl iodide. In route B, III was prepared by a subsequent hydrolysis of I. The radiochemical yields were on the order of 15-60% (EOB) with an overall synthesis time of 40-50 min. Compounds I, II and III were isolated by semi-preparative HPLC and the radiochemical purity was in all cases greater than 99%.