Improved synthesis of the hypoxia probe 5-deutero-5-fluoro-5-deoxy-azomycin arabinoside (FAZA) as a model process for tritium radiolabeling

The only known synthesis of deuterium-labelled FAZA, the gold standard PET tracer for hypoxia, was re-investigated and optimized. Furthermore a new and improved synthesis of 2H-FAZA was developed. This should greatly facilitate access to the useful hypoxia molecular probe 3H-FAZA.