Preparation of [11C]formaldehyde using a silver-containing ceramic catalyst

A ceramic material, prepared from kaolin doped with silver ions in various concentrations, was evaluated as a catalyst for the conversion of [11C] methanol into [11C]formaldehyde in a gas flow system. Employment of [11C] methanol with a minimized water content, 300 mg of catalyst (20% of silver) at 500°C and a carrier gas flow rate of 40 mL/min resulted in a radiochemical decay-corrected [11C]formaldehyde yield of 67% relative to [11C]methanol. Wet [11C]methanol under the same conditions gave 54% of [11C] formaldehyde. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.