A facile method was developed to purify 2-[18F]fluoroethyl azide ([18F]FEA) using a C18 cartridge and an Oasis® HLB cartridge in series, in which [18F]FEA was exclusively trapped on the HLB cartridge. [18F]FEA can be eluted for reactions in solution; alternatively click labeling can be carried out on the HLB cartridge itself by loading an alkyne substrate and copper (I) catalyst dissolved in DMF onto the cartridge. This solid phase extraction methodology for purification and click labeling with [18F]FEA, either in solution or on the cartridge, is safe, simple, reproducible in high yield, and compatible with automated synthesis of 18F-labeled PET tracers.
Keywords: 2-Fluoroethyl azide; Click chemistry; Fluorine-18; Positron emission tomography; Radiolabeling; Solid phase extraction.