to provide a strong intercalation , the intercalator should be preferably planar and aromatic heterocyclic . furthermore , pendant groups in the intercalator must be stably coordinated to the radionuclide ( i . e . 99m tc ). in this example , it is not coercive that the coordinating unit must be a multidentate ligand with high thermodynamic stability , since most complexes with tc ( i ) show an extremely high kinetic stability . for these reasons and due to the already known principles of complexation of several mono - and bidentate ligands ( especially picolinic acid ), 5 , 6 - benzochinolin - 3 - carboxylic acid was selected as intercalator . fig2 depicts an example of a tc ( i ) complex with this intercalating ligand and a potential biomolecule attached by direct linkage to another coordination site . 648 μl ( 5 . 58 mmol ) benzoyl chloride was added to a two - phase system of water / methylene chloride over a period of two hours . these two layers contained 500 mg ( 2 . 79 mmol ) of benzo ( f ) chinolin in the methylene chloride layer and 545 mg ( 8 . 37 mmol ) kcn in water . stirring was continued for 6 hours . the organic phase was separated and washed with water , 5 % hydrochloric acid , water , 5 % naoh solution , and again with water . after drying over magnesium sulfate , the solution was evaporated to dryness . the bromide salt of this so - called reissert - compound was recrystallized from 95 % ethanol to yield the analytically pure substance . yield : 612 mg ( 71 %). 2 ml 48 % hydrobromide acid were added to 287 mg ( 0 . 93 mmol ) of the reissert - compound dissolved in 2 ml acetic acid . the solution was refluxed over a period of 24 hours , cooled and filtered . the filtered product was washed with diethyl ether , dried , and recrystallized from methanol to yield 169 mg ( 0 . 76 mmol ) ( 82 %) of the hydrobromide of the intercalator as a yellow solid . 2 . 3 macroscopic synthesis of technetium and rhenium complexes with p1 ( 5 , 6 - benzochinolin - 3 - carbon acid ) [ net 4 ][ rebr 3 ( co ) 3 ], 29 . 7 mg ( 133 μmol ) p1 and 116 μl ( 226 mmol ) of trioctylamine were refluxed in dichloromethane until a clear solution was achieved . after evaporation of the solution , the complex 5 was extracted into thf . after evaporization of thf the residue was washed with diethyl ether to remove trioctyl ammonium bromide . yield : 63 mg ( 67 %) of the yellow complex . 200 . 0 mg ( 0 . 26 μmol ) of [ net 4 ] 2 [ rebr 3 ( co ) 3 ] were refluxed in the presence of 29 . 1 mg of the intercalator p1 during 4 hours in 1m mes - buffer solution . then the yellow precipitation was filtered . yield : 114 . 2 mg ( 86 %). 2 . 4 microscopic synthesis of [ 99m tc ( h 2 o )( p 1 )( co ) 3 ] the 99m tc complexes were synthesized in a two - step procedure with a normal generator eluate . in a first step the complex was synthesized in & gt ; 97 % yield according to the literature ( r . alberto et al ., j . am . chem . soc . 120 , 7987 ( 1998 )). the solution was then neutralized with phosphate buffer in the reaction vial and a solution of the corresponding ligand was added . the end concentration was between 10 − 4 and 10 − 5 . it was left standing for 30 minutes at 75 ° c . the radio - chemical purification and the yield were defined through hplc - chromatography . it was discovered that [ 99m tc ( hpo 4 )( p 1 )( co ) 3 ] 2 − ( compound 10 ) with a yield of 80 - 95 % ( dependent on the ligand concentration and the reaction time ) was formed . this is an example how a trifunctional molecule can be built . the procedure is based on known synthetic approaches for the corresponding coupling methods . the schematic procedure is given in fig3 . 1 . syntheses of the bifunctional ligands , bearing an intercalator and a coordinating functionality a bifunctional ligand was prepared according to the strategy described in fig3 . fig7 gives the specific reaction scheme of the reaction that is described hereinbelow . 2 - methylquinoline ( 1 ) was bought from fluka ( st . gallen , switzerland ; now sigma - aldtrich , st . louis , mo .) and used without further purification . a mixture of 5 . 5 g of selenium dioxyde ( 49 . 5 mmol ) in 50 ml dioxane and 2 ml water was added in small portions over 10 minutes to a boiling solution of 4 . 4 g ( 30 . 7 mmol ) of 2 - methylquinoline ( 1 ) in 20 ml dioxane . after 6 hours of boiling , the warm reaction mixture was filtered . the filtrate was evaporated , dissolved in dichloromethane and filtered through alox . the yellow - brown solid product obtained after evaporation of the solvent was recrystallized from dichlormethane . yield : 3 . 76 g ( 78 %) a mixture of 500 mg of quinoline - 2 - carbaldehyde ( 2 ) ( 3 . 2 mmol ) and 330 mg of n -( 2 - aminoethyl )- acetamid ( 3 . 23 mmol ) in 15 ml of methanol was stirred for 2 hours at room temperature . the light brown solid product obtained was directly used for the next reaction . yield : ˜ 770 mg (˜ 100 %) 1 h - nmr ( cdcl 3 ): δ , 8 . 57s , 8 . 21d , 8 . 13d , 8 . 10d , 7 . 85d , 7 . 75t , 7 . 59t a solution of 175 mg ( 4 . 62 mmol ) of nabh 4 in 10 ml of ethanol was slowly added over 2 hours to a stirred solution of 500 mg ( 2 . 07 mmol ) of 3a in 30 ml ethanol at 0 ° c . this mixture was then stirred overnight at room temperature . the solid substance obtained after evaporation of the solvent was triturated with a 3m na 2 co 3 solution . the desired light brown product ( 3b ) was then extracted with dichloromethane . yield : 382 mg ( 76 %) 1 h - nmr ( cdcl 3 ): δ , 8 . 15d , 8 . 05d , 7 . 81d , 7 . 71t , 7 . 54t , 7 . 35d , 6 . 84br , 4 . 21s , 3 . 50q , 3 . 02t , 2 . 02s a solution of 200 mg of 3b ( 0 . 82 mmol ) in 20 ml of 2n hcl was refluxed for 6 hours . the oil obtained after evaporation of the solvent was washed with ethanol to give the desired light brown solid hydrochloride salt 3c . yield : 203 mg ( 90 %) 1 h - nmr ( d 2 o ): δ , 8 . 40d , 7 . 95t , 7 . 76t , 7 . 59t , 7 . 49d , 4 . 57s , 3 . 46t , 3 . 34t a solution of 500 mg ( 2 . 29 mmol ) of di - tert - butyl dicarbonate (( boc ) 2 o ) in 30 ml dioxan was slowly added to a solution of 1 . 49 ml ( 1 . 42 g ) ( 13 . 74 mmol ) of diethylentriamine in 80 ml of dioxan at 10 ° c . the mixture was then stirred for 15 hours at room temperature . the desired product precipitated as an oil , which was then separated from the rest of the solution , dissolved in water , filtered , and extracted with dichloromethane to finally give the desired product as a light yellow oil . yield : 260 mg ( 56 %) 1 h - nmr ( cdcl 3 ): δ , 5 . 15br , 3 . 25br , 3 . 18t , 2 . 77t , 2 . 69t , 2 . 63t , 1 . 76br , 1 . 41s , 1 . 19t a mixture of 140 mg of quinoline - 2 - carbaldehyde ( 2 ) ( 0 . 89 mmol ) and 200mg of n — boc - diethylentriamine ( 0 . 99 mmol ) in 30 ml of methanol was stirred for 3 hours at room temperature . the solid obtained after evaporation of the solvent was then washed with water to obtain the desired light brown product . yield : 304 mg ( 94 %) 1 h - nmr ( dmso ): δ , 8 . 32d , 7 . 97t , 7 . 73t , 7 . 71d , 7 . 57t , 6 . 65t , 4 . 33s , 3 . 08t , 2 . 97t , 2 . 85t , 1 . 28s , 1 . 09t a solution of 41 mg ( 1 . 08 mmol ) of nabh 4 in 10 ml of ethanol was slowly added over 2 hours to a stirred solution of 148 mg ( 0 . 43mmol ) 5a in 30 ml of ethanol at 0 ° c . this mixture was then stirred overnight at room temperature . the solid brown oil obtained after evaporation of the solvent was triturated with a 3m na 2 co 3 solution . the desired light brown product ( 3b ) was then extracted with dichloromethane . yield : 136 mg ( 92 %) 1 h - nmr ( dmso ): δ , 8 . 29d , 7 . 94d , 7 . 92d , 7 . 71t , 7 . 61d , 7 . 54t , 6 . 71t , 3 . 95s , 2 . 96q , 2 . 59s , 1 . 33s , 1 . 22t a solution of 100 mg of 5b ( 0 . 29 mmol ) in 3n hcl was refluxed for 2 hours . the oil obtained after evaporation of the solvent was washed with diethylether to give the desired light brown solid hydrochloride salt 5c . yield : 102 mg ( 94 %) 1 h - nmr ( d 2 o ): δ , 8 . 44d , 7 . 95t , 7 . 77t , 7 . 6t , 7 . 51d , 4 . 51s , 3 . 44s , 3 . 34t , 3 . 27t trifunctional intercalators were prepared starting from 5a or 3b of part 1 above . fig8 gives the specific reaction scheme . amine i ( fig7 ; 547 mg , 2 . 83 mmol ) and triethylene amine ( 0 . 510 ml , 3 . 08 mmol ) were stirred in methanol ( 10 ml ). the solution was cooled to 0 ° c ., and ethyl bromoacetate etate ii ( 0 . 313 ml , 2 . 83 mmol ) was added dropwise within 5 minutes . after stirring the solution at room temperature for 18 hours , the solvent was removed in vacuo . the residue was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 50 ml ) and washed three times with water ( 20 ml ). the water phases were washed twice with dichloromethane ( 50 ml ). the organic phases were dried over mgso 4 , filtered , and the solvent was removed in vacuo to give iii as a yellow oil . yield : 590 mg ( 2 . 11 mmol , 74 . 6 %). 1 h nmr ( 200 mhz , d 6 - acetone ) δ = 8 . 44 ( m , 1h , picolin ), 7 . 65 ( m , 1h , picolin ), 7 . 45 ( m , 1h , picolin ), 7 . 21 ( m , 1h , picolin ), 4 . 12 ( q , 2 h , j = 7 . 2 hz , ch 2 ester ), 3 . 94 ( s , 2h , ch 2 ), 3 . 64 ( s , 2h , ch 2 ), 3 . 32 ( m , 2h , n — ch 2 — ch 2 — n ), 2 . 82 ( m , 2h , n — ch 2 — ch 2 — n ), 1 . 84 ( s , 3h , ch 3 — co ), 1 . 21 ( t , 3h , j = 7 . 2 hz , ch 3 ester ). amine iii ( 576 mg , 1 . 94 mmol ) was dissolved ethanol ( 4 ml ) and water ( 8 ml ). naoh 2m ( 2 ml ) was added , and the solution was stirred at room temperature for 1 . 5 hours . analytical hplc exhibited a single peak , indicating that the ester group was cleaved quantitatively . the solvent was removed in vacuo , the residue was dissolved in water ( 8 ml ), and hcl 2n ( 1 ml ) was added to neutralize the solution . hcl 33 % ( 1 . 0 ml ) was added , and the reaction mixture was stirred at 90 ° c . for 48 hours . nahco 3 was added to neutralize the reaction mixture , the solvent was removed in vacuo and the residue was washed with ethanol . removing of the solvent gave the deprotected product v as a yellow oil . yield : 352 mmol ( 1 . 68 mmol , 68 . 6 %). 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , d 2 o ) δ = 8 . 44 ( m , 1h , picolin ), 7 . 85 ( m , 1h , picolin ), 7 . 45 ( m , 1h , picolin ), 7 . 39 ( m , 1h , picolin ), 3 . 78 ( s , 2h , ch 2 ), 3 . 35 ( m , 2h , n — ch 2 — ch 2 — n ), 3 . 22 ( s , 2h , ch 2 ), 3 . 32 ), 2 . 79 ( m , 2h , n — ch 2 — ch 2 — n ). [ heading - 0074 ] strand breaking with the molecules of the invention in a model system to investigate the ability of the intercalating complexes with 99m tc to induce dna - strandbreaks , plasmids were used as a model system . plasmids are suitable because electrophoretic analyses allow one to differentiate between double and single strand breaks . additionally , large quantities of plasmid can be produced very simply by using cell biological methods . a plasmid is a circular double - stranded dna molecule , which double helical axis can be drilled into a superhelix . this form of the superhelix is described as type i . this type may loose , its superhelix - structure formed by a single strandbreak , which is then present as a relaxed circular dna ( type ii ). through a double strandbreak of both types , a linear form ( type iii ) of the plasmid will be created . fig4 shows an example of the structure of these 3 dna types . because these three dna types have different structures , they may well be separated due to their size , and especially their form , by electrophoresis on agarose gel . the mixture ( type i - iii after the experiment ) to be investigated is loaded on an agarose gel . a constant voltage will then be applied and the negatively charged dna - fragments will migrate toward the cathode . the larger the form of the fragment , the slower the migration along the gel . dna of type i ( most compact ) moves fastest , type i slowest . the gel will then be put in solution which contains a small amount of ethidium bromide . the dna fragments are made visible by intercalation and irradiation with uv - light of 300 nm depicting red - orange colored fluorescence ( 590 nm ). this method is so sensitive that less than 5 ng dna per band are detected . in the photographic record of the gels in fig5 , the migration direction is from the top to the bottom . the plasmid bluescript ks ™, with a size of 2958 base pairs , has been produced following the standard protocol of the company qiagen ( valencia , calif .). usually , this plasmid exists in the superhelix form ( type i ). with the restriction enzyme kpnl the linearized form of the plasmid dna ( type ii ) can be produced . a single strandbreak resulting in the relaxed circular form of plasmid ( type ii ), can be induced by the enzyme dnaase i . fig5 , right lane , shows the electrophoresis on agarose - gel of a mixture of these three types of dna . for the electrophoresis a marker with several sizes of dna - pieces has been used as reference ( left lane ). as demonstrated by the three bands of the right lane , the three types of dna were clearly separated and can be distinguished after visualization . if single or double strand breaks result from conversion electrons , it should be easy detectable by this method . [ heading - 0084 ] 2 . investigation of the ability of [ 99m tc ( p 1 )( teta )( co ) 3 ] to induce strandbreaks 5 μl of a solution containing approx . 0 . 3 mci / ml of [ 99m tc ( p 1 )( teta )( co ) 3 ] and 100 ng of type i plasmid (˜= 3 * 10 − 5 m in base pairs ) were left standing over a period of 18 hours . then a electrophoresis of this mixture and the three references was made ( fig6 ). it is clearly visible that the plasmids in the measurement solution ( lane 3 ) migrate slower than in the reference solution . the reason for this observation is that a small change in the structure of the plasmids is probably induced by intercalation of the complex into the double strand . this change in the tertiary structure of the plasmid did then allow a better intercalation of the ethidium bromide , thus explaining the stronger intensity of the band of sample solution . furthermore , in the comparison with the negative reference solution ( lane 4 ), it is obvious that one or possibly two new bands appeared ( arrows ) in the lane of the solution treated with the 99m tc complex . the stronger of these two bands corresponds approximately to the position of type ii on the band of reference solution in lane 2 , containing the three types . this means that the complex has induced a single strand break in the plasmid . while the foregoing is directed to preferred embodiments of the present invention , other and further embodiments or modifications of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof . such additional embodiments or modifications will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading this disclosure .
the invention relates to molecules for treatment and diagnosis of tumors and malignancies , comprising a tumor seeking biomolecule , which is coupled to an intercalating moiety , which is capable of complexing a metal , which metal is preferably a radioactive metal , to the use of these molecules and to therapeutic and diagnostic compositions containing them .