Automated synthesis of n.c.a. [18F]FDOPA via nucleophilic aromatic substitution with [18F]fluoride

An improved, automated synthesis of [18F]FDOPA including four synthetic steps (fluorination, reductive iodination, alkylation and hydrolysis) is reported with each step optimized individually. In a home-made automatic synthesizer, 9064±3076 MBq of [18F]FDOPA were produced within 120 min from EOB (n=5). Radiochemical purity and enantiomeric excess were both ⩾95%. Specific activity was ca. 50 GBq/μmol at EOS. This automatically operable synthesis is well suited for the multi-patient-dose routine production of n.c.a. [18F]FDOPA.