Reactivity of technetium(I) thioether carbonyl complexes towards histidine—an EXAFS study in solution

Technetium(I) thioether carbonyl complexes and their reaction products with histidine were prepared and characterised by Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, various chromatographic and electrophoretic methods and electrospray mass spectrometry. Their behaviour in aqueous solutions was studied on the carrier-added (99Tc) and the no-carrier-added (99mTc) levels. HPLC and electrophoretic studies show the identity of reaction products at both concentration levels. Technetium(I) carbonyl complexes containing a bidentate dithioether ligand [Tc(CO)3Cl(SS)], as well as a tridentate carboxylato thioether ligand [Tc(CO)3(SSO)], undergo a ligand exchange reaction with histidine and form the complex [Tc(CO)3His]. EXAFS measurements were performed to estimate the structural parameters of the dissolved technetium(I) carbonyl complexes and their reaction products after the challenge experiments. The calculated bond lengths and coordination numbers are in agreement with the expected values and confirm the ligand exchange reactions.