Effects of alkyl and aryl substitution on the myocardial specificity of radioiodinated phosphonium, arsonium, and ammonium cations.

Several radioiodinated iodopentenyl-trisubstituted phosphonium, arsonium, and ammonium iodides have been prepared and evaluated in rats to determine the effects of structural variations of the cations on myocardial uptake and retention. The synthesis of (E)-(1-iodo-1-penten-5-yl)-trisubstituted phosphonium, arsonium, and ammonium iodides via the condensation of trisubstituted phosphine, arsine, and amine precursors, respectively, with (E)-1,5-diiodopentene is described. In some cases a second route involved condensation with (E)-1-borono-5-iodo-1-pentene followed by iodination. In the phosphonium series, the compounds triphenyl 1, dicyclohexylphenyl 5, tricyclohexyl 6, and dimethyl-n-octyl 8 were prepared. The triphenylarsonium 10 and triethylammonium 11 compounds were also prepared. The corresponding radioiodinated analogues were prepared and tissue distribution studies performed in rats. The results (percent dose/gram, 30 min) demonstrate that replacement of phosphorus with arsenic (1, 3.99%; 10, 3.17%) or the replacement of the phenyl ring with the cyclohexyl ring system (6, 2.67%) has no apparent effect on heart uptake. In the series of compounds studied, replacement of the cyclic ring system with alkyl groups, however, significantly decreased heart uptake with both the phosphorus (8, 1.95%) and nitrogen agents (11, 1.11%). Gamma camera imaging studies with [123I]-5 and [123I]-8 further substantiated the decreased heart uptake with alkyl substitution and the apparent hepatobiliary clearance of 8.