Copper-free Click Labeling with the 99mTc-Tricarbonyl-Core Using DACN Derivatives

Diazacyclononyne (DACN) derivatives belong to the class of diazamacrocycles containing a strained alkyne bond. Therefore, DACNs are predestinated starting materials to be applied in copper-free strain-promoted click labeling with azide-functionalized bio(macro)molecules. The diazamacrocyclic scaffold is easy to prepare via a double Nicholas reaction. The following functionalization is convenient by the use of functionalized sulfonamides or by the alkylation of the secondary amines provided by the molecule. To make the DACN derivatives suitable for radiolabeling with technetium-99m, two dipicolylamine (DPA) derivatives were prepared allowing the use of the 99mTc-tricarbonyl core. The first DPA-ligand is functionalized with an activated ester to allow convenient labeling of, e.g., amines. The second is based on the DACN macrocycle, allowing the copper-free click labeling. Two PSMA-binding derivatives based on PSMA-617 were chosen for final radiolabeling, one with a terminal amine function the other with an azide function. For the conventional radiolabeling with e.g. primary amines, the DPA chelator was functionalized with a benzoate moiety which was further transferred into the corresponding activated TFP ester using tetrafluorophenol in three steps and an overall yield of 64%. For the click labeling procedure, the functionalized DACN macrocycle was prepared from a sulfonyl-modified diamide (4 steps) which was reacted with butyne-1,3-diol under Nicholas conditions. Finally, the DPA moiety was connected to the DACN via the propylsulfonyl linker. Both derivatives were reacted with (Et4N)2[ReBr3(CO)3] in methanol to obtain both reference complexes (natRe-DPA-TFP ester: 91% yield, natRe-DPA-DACN: 76% yield). [99mTc][Tc(CO)3]+ was prepared according to an established protocol using 99mTc-pertechnetate and K2[H3BCO2] (in-h