The reaction with phenyl azide and [11C]carbon monoxide to give N,N'-diphenyl[11C]urea and ethyl phenyl[11C]carbamate has been studied with the aim of development of a new methodology for carbonylation using [11C]carbon monoxide with high specific radioactivity. The synthesis of 11C-labelled N,N'-diphenylurea from phenyl azide and [11C]carbon monoxide, with 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane-bound Rh(I) complex at 120 degrees C at a pressure of 35 MPa in the presence of aniline was accomplished in 82% trapping efficiency and 82% conversion yield. This approach was also useful for the synthesis of ethyl phenyl[11C]carbamate with lithium ethoxide as a nucleophilic reagent giving 90% trapping efficiency and 76% conversion yield. These reactions can be considered to proceed via a [11C]isocyanate or a [11C]isocyanate-coordinated Rh complex to give the corresponding 11C-products. This protocol provides the chemical basis for the synthesis of [11C]urea and [11C]carbamate derived from [11C]isocyanates.

[¹¹C]Hydroxyurea has been successfully labelled using [¹¹C]carbon monoxide at low concentration. The decay-corrected radiochemical yield was 38±3%, and the trapping efficiency of [¹¹C]carbon monoxide in the order of 90±5%. This synthesis was performed by a rhodium-mediated carbonylation reaction starting with azidotrimethylsilane and the rhodium complex being made in situ by chloro(1,5-cyclooctadiene)rhodium(I) dimer ([Rh(cod)Cl]₂) and 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe). (¹³C)Hydroxyurea was synthesized using this method and the position of the labelling was confirmed by ¹³C-NMR. In order to perform accurate LC–MS identification, the derivative 1-hydroxy-3-phenyl[¹¹C]urea was synthesized in a 35±4% decay-corrected radiochemical yield. After 13 µA h bombardment and 21 min synthesis, 1.6 GBq of pure 1-hydroxy-3-phenyl[¹¹C]urea was collected starting from 6.75 GBq of [¹¹C]carbon monoxide and the specific radioactivity of this compound was in the order of 686 GBq/µmol (3.47 nmol total mass). [¹¹C]Hydroxyurea could be used in conjunction with PET to evaluate the uptake of this anticancer agent into tumour tissue in individual patients.

Rhodium-mediated carbonylation reaction was applied to synthesize diethyl [carbonyl-C-11]malonate using [C-11]carbon monoxide at low concentration. The synthesis was performed starting with ethyl diazoacetate, ethanol and the rhodium complex being made in situ by chloro(1,5-cyclooctadiene)rhodium(l) dimer ([Rh(cod)Cl](2)) and 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe), and the reaction is assumed to proceed via a ketene intermediate. The isolated radiochemical yield was 20% (75% analytical radiochemical yield) and the trapping efficiency of [C-11]carbon monoxide in the order of 85%. The specific radioactivity of this compound was measured at 127 GBq/mu mol (7.28 nmol total mass) after 8 mu Ah bombardment and 35 min synthesis. The corresponding C-13-labelled compound was synthesized using (C-13)carbon monoxide to confirm the position of the carbonyl-labelled atom by C-13-NMR. Diethyl [carbonyl-C-11]malonate was further used in subsequent alkylation step using ethyl iodide and tetrabutylammonium fluoride to obtain diethyl diethyl [carbonyl-C-11]malonate in 50% analytical radiochemical yield.