title: Automated synthesis of 2'-deoxy-2'-[18F]fluoro-5-methyl-1-β-D-arabinofuranosyluracil ([18F]-FMAU) using a one reactor radiosynthesis module.
abstract: 2'-Deoxy-2'-[(18)F]fluoro-5-methyl-1-β-D-arabinofuranosyluracil ([(18)F]-FMAU) is an established PET probe used to monitor cellular proliferation. For clinical applications, a fully automated cGMP-compliant radiosynthesis would be preferred. However, the current synthesis of [(18)F]-FMAU requires a multistep procedure, making the development of an automated protocol difficult and complicated. Recently, we have developed a significantly simplified one-pot reaction condition for the synthesis of [(18)F]-FMAU in the presence of Friedel-Crafts catalysts. Here, we report a fully automated synthesis of [(18)F]-FMAU based on a one reactor radiosynthesis module using our newly developed synthetic method. The product was purified on a semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography integrated with the synthesis module using 6% EtOH in 10 mM phosphate buffer or 8% MeCN/water. [(18)F]-FMAU was obtained in 12±3% radiochemical yield (decay corrected overall yield based on [(18)F]-F(-), n=4) with 383±33 mCi/μmol specific activity at the time of injection. The α/β anomer ratio was 4:6. The overall reaction time was about 150 min from the end of bombardment and the radiochemical purity was >99%. This automated synthesis should also be suitable for the production of other 5-substituted thymidine analogues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Keck School of Medicine, Molecular Imaging Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Zibo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hancheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Peter S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Conti
mesh_terms: D001086:Arabinofuranosyluracil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D001331:Automation; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011854:Radiochemistry / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D001086:Arabinofuranosyluracil; C034935:clevudine