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New J. Chem., 2009, 33, 1845 - 1852, DOI: 10.1039/b902895a

Functionalised copper-64 complexes as precursors of potential PET imaging agents for neurodegenerative disorders

Jason P. Holland, Michael W. Jones, Paul D. Bonnitcha, Jason S. Lewis and Jonathan R. Dilworth

A range of unsymmetrical bis(thiosemicarbazonato)zinc(II) and copper(II) complexes functionalised with structural features of the neuroactive agents dopamine and tropinone have been synthesised. The new ligands and complexes have been characterised by using mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, NMR, infrared and electronic absorption spectroscopy techniques. Transmetallation reactions of the zinc(II) analogues with 64Cu(OAc)2 in aqueous solution were found to be a rapid and efficient method for preparing 64Cu-radiolabelled complexes for potential use as in vivo tracers in positron emission tomography (PET). Oxygen-dependent cellular association assays in EMT6 murine carcinoma cells revealed that despite conjugation of the tropinone group and reduced lipophilicity, the bis(thiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) complex retains hypoxia-selectively in vitro. The results demonstrate that recognised neuroactive pharmacophores can be conjugated to the bis(thiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) core as potential precursors of 64Cu-radiopharmaceuticals for imaging of neurodegenerative disorders.

Graphical abstract image for this article (ID: b902895a)