A series of neutral technetium-99m )?-diketonate radiopharmaceuticals containing the Tc = N group has been prepared in which the substituent of the ^-diketone ligand is varied to cause chemical changes in the resultant complexes. Analyses by TLC, HPLC, and paper electrophoresis show that the complexes are neutral, lipidsoluble tracers. Their in-vitro properties, evaluated by means of octanol-water and cyclohexane-water partition coefficients and protein binding determination, show a high lipophilic character which may give them potential as a brain imaging agent.