The routine production of 2-deoxy-D-[l-llC] glucose (11C-2DG) 11 from [ C] hydrogen cyanide and 2 , 3 : 4 , 5-di-0-isopropylidene-1-iodo-D-arabinitol is described. The nitrile intermediate is purifiedby high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) before reduction/ hydrolysis with Raney alloy in formic acid. The radiopharmaceutical is isolated by i o n exchange and is obtained in a radioche-mica1 yield of 2 0 % with a synthesis time of 50-55 min. A typical run affords 2 5 -3 0 mCi of "C-ZDG with a specific activity of 90-100 mCi/mg.