title: Synthesis of 11C-labeled desipramine and its metabolite 2-hydroxydesipramine: potential radiotracers for PET studies of the norepinephrine transporter.
abstract: The antidepressant desipramine (DMI) and its principal metabolite 2-hydroxydesipramine (HDMI) have been radiolabeled with 11C for PET studies. The normethyl precursors of DMI and HDMI were synthesized from iminodibenzyl in 35% and 11% overall yield, respectively. Direct methylation of the normethyl precursor with [11C]CH3I, followed by HPLC purification, provided [11C]DMI and [11C]HDMI in 18-30% and 15-23% decay-corrected radiochemical yields, respectively, in a 45 min synthesis time from end of bombardment. The specific activities of the two radiotracers were >1459 Ci/mmol at the end of synthesis. [11C]DMI and [11C]HDMI have potential utility as PET radiotracers for the norepinephrine transporter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor 48109-0552, USA.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Van Dort
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tluczek
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wieland
mesh_terms: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D003891:Desipramine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D007553:Isotope Labeling / Q000379:methods; D050484:Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D027981:Symporters; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D050484:Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D027981:Symporters; D003891:Desipramine; C028653:2-hydroxydesipramine