title: Synthesis of ApoSense compound [18F]2-(5-(dimethylamino)naphthalene-1-sulfonamido)-2-(fluoromethyl)butanoic acid ([18F]NST732) by nucleophilic ring opening of an aziridine precursor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The small molecule 2-(5-(dimethylamino)naphthalene-1-sulfonamido)-2-(fluoromethyl)butanoic acid (NST732) is a member of the ApoSense family of compounds, capable of selective targeting, binding and accumulation within cells undergoing apoptotic cell death. It has application in molecular imaging and blood clotting particularly for monitoring antiapoptotic drug treatments. We are investigating a fluorine-18-radiolabeled analog of this compound for positron emission tomography studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prepared the tosylate precursor methyl 2-(5-(dimethylamino)naphthalene-1-sulfonamido)-2-(tosyloxymethyl)butanoate (4) to synthesize fluorine-18-labeled NST732. Fluorination reaction of the tosylate precursor in 1:1 acetonitrile:dimethylsulfoxide with tetrabutyl ammonium fluoride proceeds through an aziridine intermediate (4A) to afford two regioisomers: 2-(5-(dimethylamino)naphthalene-1-sulfonamido)-2-fluorobutanoate (5) and methyl 2-(5-(dimethylamino)naphthalene-1-sulfonamido)-2-(fluoromethyl)butanoate (6). Acid hydrolysis of the fluoromethylbutanoate (6) isomer produced NST732. As the fluorination reaction of the tosylate precursor proceeds through an aziridine intermediate (4A) and the fluorination conceivably could be done directly on the aziridine, we have separately prepared an aziridine precursor (4A). Fluorine-18 labeling of the aziridine precursor (4A) was performed with [(18)F]tetrabutyl ammonium fluoride to afford the same two regioisomers (5 and 6). The [18F]2-((5-dimethylamino)naphthalene-1-sulfonamido)methyl)-2-fluorobutanoic acid (NST732) was then obtained by the hydrolysis of corresponding [18F]-labeled ester (6) with 6 N hydrochloric acid.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two regioisomers obtained from the fluorination reaction of aziridine were easily separated by high-performance liquid chromatography. The total radiochemical yield was 15%±3% (uncorrected, n=18) from the aziridine precursor in a 70-min synthesis time with a radiochemical purity>99%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fluorine-18-labeled ApoSense compound [18F]NST732 is prepared in moderate yield by direct fluorination of an aziridine precursor.
authors.affiliation: Imaging Probe Development Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. bhattacharyyaf@mail.nih.gov
authors.forename: Falguni
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Basuli
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhen-Dan
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Bao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: Changhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sulima
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bate
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Mathew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McMillan
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Griffiths
mesh_terms: D000613:Aminobutyrates / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D001388:Aziridines / Q000737:chemistry*; D020148:Butyric Acid / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D060326:Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011854:Radiochemistry; D012015:Reference Standards; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: C576228:2-(5-(dimethylamino)naphthalene-1-sulfonamido)-2-(fluoromethyl)butanoic acid; D000613:Aminobutyrates; D001388:Aziridines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D020148:Butyric Acid; C033132:aziridine