Fully automated, high yielding production of N-succinimidyl 4-[18F]fluorobenzoate ([18F]SFB), and its use in microwave-enhanced radiochemical coupling reactions

A General Electric Medical Systems (GEMS) Tracerlab FXFN fluorine-18 synthesis module has been reconfigured to allow rapid (45 min), fully automated production of N-succinimidyl 4-[F-18]fluorobenzoate ([F-18]SFB) using the established three-step, one-pot synthesis procedure. Purification is by sep-pak only and [F-18]SFB is routinely obtained in 38% non-decay corrected yield, >1 Ci/mu mol specific activity, and > 95% radiochemical purity (n = 20). Moreover, this report includes our preliminary research efforts into improving peptide coupling reactions with [F-18]SFB using microwave-enhanced radiochemistry. Reaction times can be reduced by > 90%, when compared with traditional thermal reactions, with no significant effect on radiochemical reaction yield.