Synthesis, Characterization, and Computational Studies on Gallium(III) and Iron(III) Complexes with a Pentadentate Macrocyclic bis-Phosphinate Chelator and Their Investigation As Molecular Scaffolds for 18F Binding.

With the aim of obtaining improved molecular scaffolds for 18F binding to use in PET imaging, gallium(III) and iron(III) complexes with a macrocyclic bis-phosphinate chelator have been synthesized and their properties, including their fluoride binding ability, investigated. Reaction of Bn-tacn (1-benzyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) with paraformaldehyde and PhP(OR)2 (R = Me or Et) in refluxing THF, followed by acid hydrolysis, yields the macrocyclic bis(phosphinic acid) derivative, H2(Bn-NODP) (1-benzyl-4,7-phenylphosphinic acid-1,4,7-triazacyclononane), which is isolated as its protonated form, H2(Bn-NODP)·2HCl·4H2O, at low pH (HClaq), its disodium salt, Na2(Bn-NODP)·5H2O at pH 12 (NaOHaq), or the neutral H2(Bn-NODP) under mildly basic conditions (Et3N). A crystal structure of H2(Bn-NODP)·2HCl·H2O confirmed the ligand's identity. The mononuclear [GaCl(Bn-NODP)] complex was prepared by treatment of either the HCl or sodium salt with Ga(NO3)3·9H2O or GaCl3, while treatment of H2(Bn-NODP)·2HCl·4H2O with FeCl3 in aqueous HCl gives [FeCl(Bn-NODP)]. The addition of 1 mol. equiv of aqueous KF to these chloro complexes readily forms the [MF(Bn-NODP)] analogues. Spectroscopic analysis on these complexes confirms pentadentate coordination of the doubly deprotonated (bis-phosphinate) macrocycle via its N3O2 donor set, with the halide ligand completing a distorted octahedral geometry; this is further confirmed through a crystal structure analysis on [GaF(Bn-NODP)]·4H2O. The complex adopts the geometric isomer in which the phosphinate arms are coordinated unsymmetrically (isomer 1) and with the stereochemistry of the three N atoms of the tacn ring in the RRS configuration, denoted (N)RRS, and the phosphinate groups in the RR stereochemistry, denoted (P)RR, (isomer 1/RR), together with its (N)SSR (P)SS enantiomer. The greater thermodynamic stability of isomer 1/RR over the other possible isomers is also indicated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Radiofluorination experiments on the [MCl(Bn-NODP)] complexes in partially aqueous MeCN/NaOAcaq (Ga) or EtOH (Ga or Fe; i.e. without buffer) with 18F- target water at 80 °C/10 min lead to high radiochemical incorporation (radiochemical yields 60-80% at 1 mg/mL, or ∼1.5 μM, concentration of the precursor). While the [Fe18F(n-NODP)] is unstable (loss of 18F-) in both H2O/EtOH and PBS/EtOH (PBS = phosphate buffered saline), the [Ga18F(Bn-NODP)] radioproduct shows excellent stability, RCP = 99% at t = 4 h (RCP = radiochemical purity) when formulated in 90%:10% H2O/EtOH and ca. 95% RCP over 4 h when formulated in 90%:10% PBS/EtOH. This indicates that the new "GaIII(Bn-NODP)" moiety is a considerably superior fluoride binding scaffold than the previously reported [Ga18F(Bn-NODA)] (Bn-NODA = 1-benzyl-4,7-dicarboxylate-1,4,7-triazacyclononane), which undergoes rapid and complete hydrolysis in PBS/EtOH (refer to Chem. Eur. J. 2015, 21, 4688-4694).