Technetium and rhenium schiff base complexes for nuclear medicine

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the synthesis of rhenium and technetium Schiff base complexes for potential applications in nuclear medicine. In Chapter 2, a series of mixed ligand Re(III) complexes of the form trans-[Re(PR3)2(tmf2en)]+ were prepared by microwave assisted synthesis. A two-step (one-pot) procedure was utilized. In the first step, the Re(V) precursor (nBu4N)[ReOCl4] is reacted with the Schiff base ligand forming trans-[ReOCl(tmf2en) in situ. In the second step, a tertiary phosphine ligand is added yielding the reduced trans-[Re(PR3)2(tmf2en)][superscript +] species. The preparation of these trans-[Re(PR3)2(tmf2en)][superscript +] complexes by microwave assisted synthesis resulted in higher reaction yields and shorter reaction times compared to syntheses of similar Re(III) Schiff base complexes. The general methodology proved to be useful for the synthesis of mixed ligand Re(III) complexes with a diverse range of Schiff base ligands and phosphines.