Efficient methods for labeling aryl trifluoromethyl groups to provide novel radiotracers for use in biomedical research with positron emission tomography (PET) are keenly sought. We report a broad-scope method for labeling trifluoromethylarenes with either carbon-11 (t1/2 =20.4 min) or fluorine-18 (t1/2 =109.8 min) from readily accessible aryl(mesityl)iodonium salts. In this method, the aryl(mesityl)iodonium salt is treated rapidly with no-carrier-added [11 C]CuCF3 or [18 F]CuCF3 . The mesityl group acts as a spectator allowing radiolabeled trifluoromethylarenes to be obtained with very high chemoselectivity. Radiochemical yields from aryl(mesityl)iodonium salts bearing either electron-donating or electron-withdrawing groups at meta- or para- position are good to excellent (67-96 %). Ortho-substituted and otherwise sterically hindered trifluoromethylarenes still give good yields (15-34 %). Substituted heteroaryl(mesityl)iodonium salts are also viable substrates. The broad scope of this method was further exemplified by labeling a previously inaccessible target, [11 C]p-trifluoromethylphenyl boronic acid, as a potentially useful labeling synthon. In addition, fluoxetine, leflunomide, and 3-trifluoromethyl-4-aminopyridine, as examples of small drug-like molecules and candidate PET radioligands, were successfully labeled in high yields (69-81 %).
Keywords: PET radiochemistry; carbon-11; diaryliodonium salts; fluorine-18; trifluoromethyl.
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