Mononuclear and dinuclear complexes of 99mTc.

In the labeling of penicillamine (Pen) with 99mTc, various complexes were detected. Studies of the conditions for differentiating the product formed in order to understand the chemical and biological behavior were carried out. Marked roles of pH and SnCl2 concentration were observed. Controlled delivery of Sn2+ ion was obtained with the tin-adsorbed resin (Sn-resin) developed. Radiopharmaceutical and biological characterization of mononuclear and dinuclear complexes of Tc-Pen, under given sets of labeling condition, were established. Those studies provided a good basis in technetium chemistry which facilitated the development of new Tc-radiopharmaceuticals. Selection of the appropriate ligand offered a stable mononuclear complex of Tc-bleomycin for tumor detection, Tc-Pen-ethyl-ester for blood-element labeling and, above all, development of a bis-thiosemicarbazone derivative as a new bifunctional chelating agent to be coupled to proteins, fatty acids, glucose etc. On the other hand, various cholescintigraphic agents were better conceived of as dinuclear complexes and this created the possibility of generating a new agent, a phthalein derivative, Tc-PC, containing the required coordination environment for the technetium to be bridged in a dinuclear state.