Synthesis of carbon‐11 labelled calcium channel antagonists

A useful synthetic approach to carbon-11 labelled 1,4-dihydropyridines is described. Carbon-11 labelled calcium channel antagonists 11C-Nifedipine, 11C-Nisoldipine, 11C-Nitrendipine and 11C-CF3-Nifedipine were synthesized by a modified Hantzsch method using protected carboxy functions. Deprotection of the carboxylic acids by alkaline hydrolysis followed by conversion into the corresponding potassium salts and subsequent methylation with 11CH3I produced the labelled compounds in very good chemical and radiochemical yields (94%).