Summary
Reminyl1 is a newly approved drug, used in the treatment of mild to moderateAlzheimer disease. The active compound, galantamine, was initially isolated from the bulbs of certain Narcissus species, but is at the moment also produced synthetically. In the process leading to the final approval, the synthesis of tritium-, carbon-14-and stable-isotope-labelled galantamine for pharmacokinetic studies was required. Racemic ( AE )-1-bromonarwedine, a compound available as intermediate from the commercial synthesis, was transformed to racemic 1-bromogalantamine. Catalytic bromo-tritium exchange, followed by HPLC purification and resolution afforded tritium-labelled galantamine. The