Synthesis of [7ß-methoxy 11C]methoxy staurosporine for imaging protein kinase C localization in the brain

To image protein kinase C localization in the brain, we synthesized [7ß-methoxy 11C]methoxy staurosporine from 7ß- or 7α-hydroxy staurosporine (UCN-01 or -02) and [11C]methanol using camphorsulfonic acid as the catalyst. [7α-methoxy 11C]7ß-compound at an equal yield from either UCN-01 or -02. The radiochemical yield of methoxylation from [11C]methanol for each of [7ß- and α-methoxy 11C]methoxy staurosporine was 6.11 ± 1.34% (decay corrected).