Production of [C-11]CH3I by single pass reaction of [C-11]CH4 with I-2

We report a single pass gas phase route to [C-11]CH3I based on production of I . from I-2 at elevated temperature. I . abstracts H from CH4 to yield . CH3, which reacts with I-2 to form CH3I. A fiber concentration until excessive amounts of condensed I-2 began to trap the C-11. The yield of [C-11]CH3I was >50% from [C-11]CH4; its specific activity was 12,000 Ci/mmole. The synthesis takes only 4 min after(11)CH(4) production and can be repeated without system cleanup. Copyright (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.