Synthesis and biodistribution of radioiodinated nicotine analogs

The authors reported previously on the synthesis and biodistribution of radioiodinated 5-iodonicotine. In their continuous effort to search for a potential brain as well as adrenal medulla imaging agent, the authors synthesized four radioiodinated nicotine analogs. The labeled compounds were prepared by brominating nicotinic acid, and reacting the acylated product with the appropriate amines to give the respective amides which were then reduced with diborane to the amines. I-125 labeling was done by halogen exchange. Biodistribution studies performed in female Sprague-Dawley rats showed that all these compounds were taken up rapidly by the brain and the adrenal. The highest uptake of all these compounds in both organs occurred at 2 minutes after tail vein injections. The organ:blood ratios at 2 minutes and the T/sub 1/3/ (min.) of radioactivity in these organs were compared.