18 F-LABELED BISPHOSPHONATES FOR PET IMAGING

A novel method for rapidly and efficiently introducing fluorine into the P-C-P backbone of bisphosphonates starting from readily accessible diazomethylenebisphosphonate esters is provided. The method is applied successfully to create novel [18F]-labeled bisphosphonates for positron emission tomography imaging. Some versions of the method include reacting a diazomethylenebisphosphonate tetraalkyl ester with a fluorinating agent in the presence of an acidic HF/base complex and a t-butyl hypohalite to produce a halofluoromethylenebisphosphonate tetraalkyl ester, and dealkylating the halofluoromethylenebisphosphonate alkyl ester to produce a halofluoromethylenebis(phosphonic acid). Methods of replacing the halogen group with hydrogen are further provided. 18F-labeled bisphosphonates prepared by the methods, and methods of using such compounds for positron emission tomography imaging in patients and animal models, are also provided.