Organomediated Enantioselective (18)F Fluorination for PET Applications.

The first organomediated asymmetric (18)F fluorination has been accomplished using a chiral imidazolidinone and [(18)F]N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide. The method provides access to enantioenriched (18)F-labeled α-fluoroaldehydes (>90% ee), which are versatile chiral (18)F synthons for the synthesis of radiotracers. The utility of this process is demonstrated with the synthesis of the PET (positron emission tomography) tracer (2S,4S)-4-[(18)F]fluoroglutamic acid.