Synthesis and Radiofluorination of Iodophenyl Esters as Tool for the Traceless Staudinger Ligation

A new synthetic pathway for the preparation of ω-functionalized 2-iodophenyl esters as starting materials for the synthesis of substituted phosphanes is described. A radiolabeling of these esters with fluorine-18 has led to building blocks which were reacted with HPPh₂ in a Pd-catalyzed P-C cross coupling to establish new phosphanes. These compounds can be applied as mild and bioorthogonal radiolabeling agents by means of the traceless Staudinger ligation. A route to access this class of compounds has been established.