PREPARATION OF THE ANTIESTROGENIC COMPOUND N-[METHYL-C-11]-TOREMIFENE FOR THE STUDY OF ESTROGEN-RECEPTOR POSITIVE TUMORS INVIVO

The synthesis of the antioestrogenic compound N-[methyl-C-11]toremifene (N-[methyl-C-11]-(Z)-2-(4-(4-chloro-1,2-diphenyl-1-butenyl)-phenoxy)-N,N--dimethylethylamine) by alkylation with [C-11]methyl iodide of the desmethyl precursor, generated in situ from the corresponding citrate with 2,2,6,6-tetra-methylpiperidine (TMP), is reported. The reaction product was purified with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using either normal or reversed phase conditions. After solubilization by sonication in citric acid/propylene glycol/water the chemically and radiochemically pure product was obtained in 55-65% radiochemical yield (decay corrected from [C-11]methyl iodide) in 40-45 min after end of bombardment (EOB).