The copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) click reaction was used to incorporate alkyne-functionalized dipicolylamine (DPA) ligands (1 and 3) for fac-[MI(CO)3]+ (M = Re/99mTc) complexation into an alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) peptide analogue. A novel DPA ligand with carboxylate substitutions on the pyridyl rings (3) was designed to increase the hydrophilicity and to decrease in vivo hepatobiliary retention of fac-[99mTcI(CO)3]+ complexes used in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging studies with targeting biomolecules. The fac-[ReI(CO)3(3)] complex (4) was used for chemical characterization and X-ray crystal analysis prior to radiolabeling studies between 3 and fac-[99mTcI(OH2)3(CO)3]+. The corresponding 99mTc complex (4a) was obtained in high radiochemical yields, was stable in vitro for 24 h during amino acid challenge and serum stability assays, and showed increased hydrophilicity by log P analysis compared to an analogous complex with non-functionalized pyridine rings (2a). An α-MSH peptide functionalized with an azide was labeled with fac-[MI(CO)3]+ using both click, then chelate (CuAAC reaction with 1 or 3 followed by metal complexation) and chelate, then click (metal complexation of 1 and 3 followed by CuAAC with the peptide) strategies to assess the effects of CuAAC conditions on fac-[MI(CO)3]+ complexation within a peptide framework. The peptides from the click, then chelate strategy had different HPLC tR’s and in vitro stabilities compared to those from the chelate, then click strategy, suggesting non-specific coordination of fac-[MI(CO)3]+ using this synthetic route. The fac-[MI(CO)3]+-complexed peptides from the chelate, then click strategy showed >90% stability during in vitro challenge conditions for 6 h, demonstrated high affinity and specificity for the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) in IC50 analyses, and led to moderately high uptake in B16F10 melanoma cells. Log P analysis of the 99mTc-labeled peptides confirmed the enhanced hydrophilicity of the peptide bearing the novel, carboxylate-functionalized DPA chelate (10a´) compared to the peptide with the unmodified DPA chelate (9a´). In vivo biodistribution analysis of 9a´and 10a´ showed moderate tumor uptake in a B16F10 melanoma xenograft mouse model with enhanced renal uptake and surprising intestinal uptake for 10a´ compared to predominantly hepatic accumulation for 9a´. These results, coupled with the versatility of CuAAC, suggests this novel, hydrophilic chelate can be incorporated into numerous biomolecules containing azides for generating targeted fac-[MI(CO)3]+ complexes in future studies.

The viability of the Huisgen cycloaddition reaction for clickable radiopharmaceutical probes was explored with an alkyne-functionalized 2-[(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino]acetic acid (PMAA) ligand system, 3, and fac-[M(I)(OH2)3(CO)3](+) (M = Re, (99m)Tc). Two synthetic strategies, (1) click, then chelate and (2) chelate, then click, were investigated to determine the impact of assembly order on the reactivity of the system. In the click, then chelate approach, fac-[M(I)(OH2)3(CO)3](+) was reacted with the PMAA ligand "clicked" to the benzyl azide, 5, to yield two unique coordination species, fac-[M(I)(CO)3(O,N(amine),N(py)-5)], M = Re (8), (99m)Tc (8A), and fac-[M(I)(CO)3(N(tri),N(amine),N(py)-5)], M = Re (9), (99m)Tc (9A), where coordination is through the triazole (N(tri)), central amine (N(amine)), pyridine (N(py)), or carboxylate (O). Depending on the reaction pH, different ratios of complexes 8(A) and 9(A) were observed, but single species were obtained of (O,N(amine),N(py)) coordination, 8(A), in basic pHs (>9) and (N(tri),N(amine),N(py)) coordination, 9(A), in slightly acidic pHs (<4). In the chelate, then click approach, the (O,N(amine),N(py)) coordination of [M(I)(CO)3](+) was preorganized in the alkyne-functionalized fac-[M(I)(CO)3(O,N(amine),N(py)-3)], M = Re (6), (99m)Tc (6A), followed by standard Cu(I)-catalyzed Huisgen "click" conditions at pH ≈ 7.4, where the (O,N(amine),N(py)) coordination mode remained unchanged upon formation of the triazole product in the clicked molecule. Despite the slow substitution kinetics of the low-spin d(6) metal, the coordination modes (O,N(amine),N(py)) and (N(tri),N(amine),N(py)) were found to reversibly intraconvert between 8(A) and 9(A) based upon changes in pH that mirrored the (O,N(amine),N(py)) coordination in basic pHs and (N(tri),N(amine),N(py)) coordination in acidic pHs. Comparison of the Re and (99m)Tc analogs also revealed faster intraconversion between the coordination modes for (99m)Tc.

In the last two decades, a number of chelate strategies have been proposed for the fac-[MI(CO)3]+ (M = Re, 99mTc) core in radiopharmaceutical applications. However, the development of new ligands/complexes with improved function and in vivo performance has been limited in recent years. Expanding on our previous studies using the 2+1 labeling strategy, a series of bidentate ligands (neutral vs. anionic) containing an aromatic amine in combination with monodentate pyridine analogs or imidazole were explored to determine the influence of the bidentate and monodentate ligands on the formation and stability of the respective complexes. The 2+1 complexes with Re and 99mTc were synthesized in two steps and characterized by standard radio/chemical methods. X-ray characterization and density functional theory analysis of the Re 2+1 complexes with the complete bidentate series with 4-dimethylaminopyridine were conducted, indicating enhanced ligand binding energies of the neutral over anionic ligands. In the 99mTc studies, anionic bidentate ligands had significantly higher formation yields of the 2+1 product, but neutral ligands appear to have increased stability in an amino acid challenge assay. Both bidentate series exhibited improved stability by increasing the basicity of the pyridine ligands.

Isoxazole ring formation was examined as a potential Cu-free alternative click reaction to CuI-catalyzed alkyne/azide cycloaddition. The isoxazole reaction was explored at macroscopic and radiotracer concentrations with the fac-[MI(CO)3]+ (M = Re, 99mTc) core for use as a noncoordinating linker strategy between covalently linked molecules. Two click assembly methods (click, then chelate and chelate, then click) were examined to determine the feasibility of isoxazole ring formation with either alkyne-functionalized tridentate chelates or their respective fac-[MI(CO)3]+ complexes with a model nitrile oxide generator. Macroscale experiments, alkyne-functionalized chelates, or Re complexes indicate facile formation of the isoxazole ring. 99mTc experiments demonstrate efficient radiolabeling with click, then chelate; however, the chelate, then click approach led to faster product formation, but lower yields compared to the Re analogues.

Rhodium remains a high value platinum group metal that has key applications in electronics, catalysts, and batteries. To provide a useful tool for Rh isolation, a novel tridentate ligand utilizing soft N and S donors was designed to specifically extract Rh. The synthesis, complexation kinetics, and liquid-liquid extraction studies were performed to explore the overall process and recovery of Rh from chloride media.