125I‐Labeled 2‐O‐ and 3‐O‐m‐iodobenzyl,and 6‐O‐m‐iodophenyl derivatives of L‐ascorbic acid: synthesis and preliminary tissue distribution

Three ¹²⁵I‐labeled 2‐O‐ and 3‐O‐m‐iodobenzyl, and 6‐O‐m‐iodophenyl derivatives of L ‐ascorbic acid were prepared by melt exchange procedures in isolated radiochemical yields of 12–60% after HPLC purification. Biodistribution studies in tumor‐bearing mice showed very different in vivo tissue uptake properties from previous results obtained with ¹⁴C‐labeled ascorbic acid and 6‐deoxy‐6‐[¹⁸F]fluoro‐L ‐ascorbic acid. None of these seems to be suitable radioiodinated analogs of L ‐ascorbic acid for imaging study of its in vivo biochemistry. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.