Efficient preparation of 2-nitroimidazole nucleosides as precursors for hypoxia PET tracers.

ABSTRACT: 2-Deoxy-D-ribose was converted to α/β-mixtures of methyl 3-O-acetyl- and methyl 3-O-benzoyl-2-deoxy-5-(p-toluenesulfonyl)-D-ribofuranosides. These were reacted with boron trichloride to generate ribofuranosyl chlorides, which afforded precursors for tracers to image tumor hypoxia on substitution with salts of 2-nitroimidazole. The anomeric ratio of the nucleosides was delicately influenced by the reaction conditions.