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One-pot three-component coupling methods have been developed to allow in situ preparation of fluoroalkylated arenes and hydrocarbon chain analogs. The methods, which are accelerated under microwave irradiation gives access to ω-fluorinated alkyl, alkenyl, and alkynyl substituted arenes from readily available precursors. The methods involve late stage introduction of the fluorine and are well suited to application in the synthesis of 18F labeled PET imaging agents.

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) offers the potential to provide early onset diagnosis and subsequent intervention, including guided treatment regimens. One of the restricting factors in clinical application of PET technology is the limited availability of radioligands with affinity to specific targets of interest. Given the short half-life of the most popular positron emitter currently used ((18)F; approximately 120 min.) extremely rapid and efficient radiochemistry methods are needed to ensure required compounds are prepared and purified for administration within the 2-3 half life practical limit. Recent efforts to combine microwave mediated synthesis with advanced catalysis in the synthesis of specific categories of AD imaging agents will be presented.

Methods for the expeditious fluorination of arenes have been investigated, using readily available fluoride sources. An optimized procedure for microwave-accelerated fluorodenitration has been developed, giving good to excellent yields in less than 10 min, rendering it practical for use in the preparation of F 18 labeled ligands for PET imaging. Application of the method in the synthesis of CNS agents is demonstrated, and a practical method for the preparation of substrates is also presented.

Methodology is outlined for the chemical synthesis of versatile photo-Bergman enediyne building blocks and their conjugates. Routes to both mono and bis conjugated enediyne templates are detailed together with representative examples of their bioconjugates, nanoconjugates, PEG derivatives and water soluble salts. The immunocompetence of antibody conjugates is retained, and application in the form of reagents for photodynamic therapy (PDT) advanced.

Bulged sites in DNA and RNA have become targets for rational drug design due to their suspected involvement in a number of key biomolecular processes. A lead compound, derived from the enediyne natural product NCS-chrom has been used to inform chemical synthesis of a family of designed probes of DNA bulges, one of which shows 80 nM affinity for a two base bulged target. Key contributors to binding of these spirocyclic compounds have been studied in order to correlate affinity and specificity with structural features. Herein, we demonstrate that the glycosyl linkage stereochemistry of the pendant aminofucosyl group plays a pivotal role in binding, and coupled with insight obtained with various bulged targets, will allow rational design of second generation ligands.

A family of highly selective chiral auxiliaries containing arene chromium (0) complexes has been prepared using biogenic precursors from the chiral pool. The systems, derived from isomannide, prolinol, and xylofuranose were applied to the asymmetric Diels–Alder reaction of derived acrylate esters. Factors influencing stereoselectivity with the auxiliaries have been investigated and delineated including the impact of mixed ligands on the chromium (0) complex. Under optimal conditions, the auxiliaries give >95% e.e. and 98:2 exo:endo ratio in cycloaddition with cyclopentadiene.

A one-pot route to 8-substituted xanthines has been developed from 5,6-diaminouracils and carboxaldehydes. The process, promoted by (bromodimethyl)sulfonium bromide, is mild and efficient and eliminates the need for external oxidants. Yields are good and the process is applicable to a range of substrates including a family of A2A adenosine receptor antagonists. Preparation of a new analog of the antagonist KW-6002 is presented, and in situ bromination of aryl substituted products demonstrated.

Nuclear imaging using positron emission tomography [PET] is a powerful technique with clinical applications which include oncology, cardiovascular disease and CNS disorders. Conventional chemical syntheses of the short half-life radionuclides used in the process however imposes numerous limitations on scope of available ligands. By utilizing microwave assisted synthesis methods many of these limitations can be overcome, paving the way for the design of diverse families of agents with defined cellular targets. This review will survey recent developments in the field with emphasis on the period 2006-2011. Positron emission tomography [PET] has become one of the most powerful in vivo imaging modalities, capable of delivering mm3 resolution of radiotracer distribution and metabolism [1]. When combined with anatomic imaging methods (MRI, CT) co-registered multimode images offer the potential to track metabolic and physiologic events in diseased states and guide and accelerate clinical trials of investigational new drugs. Also, this same methodology can be used to evaluate first pass pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics in early stage drug discovery. Though powerful as a technique only a limited number of drugs have seen clinical use and to date only one drug 2-fluoro-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) has received FDA approval [2]. One of the drawbacks of PET imaging is the need for tracers labeled with an appropriate nuclide and the half-lives of these agents places special constraints on the chemical synthesis. Among the most popular are 11C (t½ =20.4 min) and 18F (t ½ =109.8 min) labeled compounds and this has resulted in a resurgence of interest in practical application of their chemistries [3,4]. This review will focus on microwave mediated methods of acceleration of organic reactions used for the production of labeled PET image contrast agents, with emphasis on the five year period 2006 to 2011.

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) offers the potential to provide early onset diagnosis and subsequent intervention, including guided treatment regimens. One of the restricting factors in clinical application of PET technology is the limited availability of radioligands with affinity to specific targets of interest. Given the short half-life of the most popular positron emitter currently used ((18)F; approximately 120 min.) extremely rapid and efficient radiochemistry methods are needed to ensure required compounds are prepared and purified for administration within the 2-3 half life practical limit. Recent efforts to combine microwave mediated synthesis with advanced catalysis in the synthesis of specific categories of AD imaging agents will be presented.

A one-pot route to 8-substituted xanthines has been developed from 5,6-diaminouracils and carboxaldehydes. Yields are good and the process applicable to a range of substrates including a family of A(2A) adenosine receptor antagonists. A new route to the KW-6002 family of antagonists is presented including a pro-drug variant, and application to related image contrast agents developed.