Simple synthesis of carbon-11-labeled chromen-4-one derivatives as new potential PET agents for imaging of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) in cancer

Carbon-11-labeled chromen-4-one derivatives were synthesized as new potential PET agents for imaging of DNA repair enzyme DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) in cancer. The target tracers, X-[11C]methoxy-2-morpholino-4H-chromen-4-ones (X=8, 7, 6, 5; [11C]4a–d), were prepared from their corresponding precursors, X-hydroxy-2-morpholino-4H-chromen-4-ones (X=8, 7, 6, 5; 5a–d), with [11C]CH3OTf through O-[11C]methylation and isolated by a simplified solid-phase extraction (SPE) method using a C-18 Sep-Pak Plus cartridge. The radiochemical yields decay corrected to end of bombardment (EOB), from [11C]CO2, were 40–60%. The specific activity at end of synthesis (EOS) was 185–370 GBq/μmol.

► New chromen-4-one derivatives were synthesized.
► New carbon-11-labeled chromen-4-one derivatives were synthesized.
► Simple solid-phase extraction (SPE) method was employed in radiosynthesis.