Isonitrile radionuclide complexes for labelling and imaging agents

Claim 2

A coordination complex of an isonitrile ligand and a radioactive metal selected from the class consisting of radioactive isotopes of Tc, Ru, Co, Pt, Fe, Os, Ir, W, Re, Cr, Mo, Mn, Ni, Rh, Pd, Nb, and Ta.

Claim 3

A complex as claimed in claim 1 in which said metal is Tc.

Claim 4

A complex as claimed in claim 1 in which said metal is Re.

Claim 5

A complex as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which said isonitrile ligand is aliphatic.

Claim 6

A complex as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which said isonitrile ligand is a hydrocarbon isonitrile.

Claim 7

A complex as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which said isonitrile ligand is a saturated hydrocarbon isonitrile.

Claim 8

A complex as claimed in claim 1 wherein each coordinate position of said radioactive metal is filled by an isonitrile ligand.

Claim 9

A complex as claimed in claim 1 wherein said isonitrile ligand is a monodentate ligand.

Claim 10

A complex as claimed in claim 1 wherein said isonitrile ligand is a bidentate ligand.

Claim 11

A complex as claimed in claim 1 wherein said isonitrile ligand is a tridentate ligand.

Claim 12

A complex as claimed in claim 1 wherein said complex is a cationic lipophilic complex.

Claim 13

A complex as claimed in claim 1 wherein said radioactive metal is a radioactive isotope of Tc, Ru, Co, Pt, Fe, Os or Ir.

Claim 14

A complex as claimed in claim 1 wherein said radioactive metal is a radioactive isotope of W, Re, Fe or Os.

Claim 15

A complex as claimed in claim 1 wherein said radioactive metal is a radioactive isotope of Cr, Mo, Co, Tc, Fe, Mn, W, Ru, Ni, Rh, Ir, Pd, Nb or Ta.

Claim 16

An isonitrile complex having the formula: [A((CN).sub.x R).sub.y B.sub.z B'.sub.z' ].sup.n wherein A is a radionuclide selected from radioactive isotopes of Tc, Ru, Co, Pt, Fe, Os, Ir, W, Re, Cr, Mo, Mn, Ni, Rh, Pd, Ta; (CN) x R is a monodentate or polydentate isonitrile ligand bonded to the radionuclide through the carbon atom of the CN group; R is an organic radical; B and B' are independently other ligands selected from the class of solvents, halogen groups, and ligands comprising one or more neutral donor atoms capable of forming coordinant bonds with said radionuclide; x and y are each independently, integers from 1 to 8; z and z' are each independently 0 or an integer from 1 to 7; with the proviso that (xy)+z+z' is less than or equal to 8; and n indicates the charge of the complex and can be 0 (neutral), or a positive or negative integer.

Claim 17

An isonitrile complex having the formula: [A((CN).sub.x R).sub.y B.sub.z B'.sub.z' ].sup.n wherein A is a radionuclide selected from radioactive isotopes of Tc, Ru, Co, Pt, Fe, Os, Ir, W, Re, Cr, Mo, Mn, Ni, Rh, Pd, Ta; (CN) x R is a monodentate or polydentate isonitrile ligand bonded to the radionuclide through the carbon atom of the CN group; R is an organic radical; B and B' are independently other ligands selected from the class of solvents, halogen groups, and ligands comprising one or more neutral donor atoms capable of forming coordinant bonds with said radionuclide; x and y are each independently, integers from 1 to 8; z and z' are each independently 0 or an integer from 1 to 7; with the proviso that (xy)+z+z' is less than or equal to 8; and n indicates the charge of the complex and can be 0 (neutral), or a positive or negative integer.

Claim 18

An isontrile complex having the formula; [A(CNR).sub.6 ].sup.+ wherein A is a radionuclide selected from technetium and 188 Re, and R is an organic radical.

Claim 19

An isontrile complex having the formula; [A(CNR).sub.6 ].sup.+ wherein A is a radionuclide selected from technetium and 188 Re, and R is an organic radical.

Claim 20

A cationic lipophilic hexakis t-butylisonitrile complex of technetium.

Claim 21

A cationic lipophilic hexakis t-butylisonitrile complex of technetium.

Claim 22

A kit for preparing a coordination complex of an isonitrile ligand and a radionuclide selected from the class consisting of radioactive isotope of Tc, Ru, Co, Pt, Fe, Os, Ir, W, Re, Cr, Mo, Mn, Ni, Rh, Pd, Nb and Ta, said kit comprising a predetermined quantity of said isonitrile ligand and a predetermined quantity of a reducing agent capable of reducing a predetermined quantity of a preselected one of said radionuclides to form said complex.

Claim 23

A kit for preparing a coordination complex of an isonitrile ligand and a radionuclide selected from the class consisting of radioactive isotope of Tc, Ru, Co, Pt, Fe, Os, Ir, W, Re, Cr, Mo, Mn, Ni, Rh, Pd, Nb and Ta, said kit comprising a predetermined quantity of said isonitrile ligand and a predetermined quantity of a reducing agent capable of reducing a predetermined quantity of a preselected one of said radionuclides to form said complex.

Claim 24

A kit as claimed in claim 18 wherein said isonitrile ligand and said reducing agent are lyophilized.

Claim 25

A kit as claimed in claim 18 wherein said lyophilized isonitrile ligand and reducing agent are contained in a sealed, sterilized container.

Claim 26

A kit as claimed in claim 18, 19 or 20 wherein said preselected radionuclide is an isotope of Tc.

Claim 27

A kit as claimed in claim 18, 19 or 20 wherein said preselected radionuclide is an isotope of Re.

Claim 28

A kit for converting a supply of 99m Tc-pertechnetate to a complex as claimed in claim 1, said kit comprising a supply of an isonitrile and a supply of a reducing agent capable of reducing technetium.

Claim 29

A kit as claimed in claim 23 in which said reducing agent is selected from the class consisting of dithionites and stannous salts.

Claim 30

A kit as claimed in claim 23 wherein said isonitrile ligand and said reducing agent are lyophilized.

Claim 31

A kit as claimed in claim 23 wherein said lyophilized isonitrile ligand and reducing agent are contained in a sealed, sterilized container.

Claim 32

A kit as claimed in claim 18 wherein said radioactive metal is radioactive isotope of Tc, Ru, Co, Pt, Fe, Os or Ir.

Claim 33

A kit as claimed in claim 18 wherein said radioactive metal is a radioactive isotope of W, Re, Fe, or Os.

Claim 34

A kit as claimed in claim 18 wherein said isotope of Cr, Mo, Co, Tc, Fe, Mn, W, Ru, Ni, Rh, Ir, Pd, Nb or Ta.

Claim 37

The method of claim 30 wherein said complex is 99m Tc-hexakis-t-butylisonitrile.

Claim 38

The method of claim 30 wherein said complex is 99m Tc-hexakis-iso-propylisonitrile.

Claim 41

The method of claim 33 wherein said complex is 99m Tc-hexakis-t-butylisonitrile.

Claim 42

The method of claim 33 wherein said complex is 99m Tc-hexakis-iso-propylisonitrile.

Claim 43

A method for labeling a cell or liposome comprising incubating said cell or liposome with a coordination complex as claimed in claim 1 in a suitable medium.