MICROWAVE TREATMENT

Abstract: A microwave device for treating process liquids, preferably precursors to radiopharmaceuticals, with microwave radiation, with the intention of reducing reaction time and increasing reaction yield. The method and the device are characterized in that the geometry of the microwave cavity is varied proportionally to the geometry of the sample container in order to concentrate the microwave field within the container. The reaction time can also be shortened and the reaction yield also increased by varying the microwave field energy or microwave field frequency. The reaction time can also be decreased by adding salts to the process liquid or by adapting the frequency of the microwave field to the resonance frequency of the process liquid in the microwave spectrum.

Description: MICROWAVE TREATMENT The present invention relates to a microwave device intended for the treatment of process liquids, prefer¬ ably the labelling of precursors to radiopharmaceuti- cals. The invention also relates to a method for treat¬ ing process liquids, preferably when labelling precur¬ sors to radiopharmaceuticals with the aid of microwave radiation. In certain cases, treatment with microwaves is able to increase drastically the rates of organic reactions. See in this respect R. Gedye et al, Tetrahedron Letters, 22279 (1986). Microwaves have also been earlier used for the preparation of positron-emitting precursors that are intended for labelling purposes; see R.a. Ferrieri et al, Int. J. Appl. Radiat. Isot. 34 897 (1983). Microwaves have also been used in the preparation of radiopharmaceuticals labelled with 11C and 18F. Such microwave treatment processes result in short reaction times and higher yields of the radio- labelled product. The microwave device used in the aforesaid liquid reactions is a conventional domestic microwave oven. An oven of this kind normally has a microwave frequency of 2450 MHz. In the preparation of radiopharmaceuticals, there is used an accelerator for the preparation of radioactive isotopes which are formed into larger molecules in a subsequent radiochemical process and later administered to the patient, who is subsequently examined with a positron camera. The normal half-life of the isotopes is from 2 minutes to about 110 minutes. It will be realized that the radiochemical process must be capable of being carried out quickly, in view of the short half-life of the isotopes. The microwave field can be described as a periodically reversed electromagnetic field. The electrons in the polar molecules follow the field direction and are placed in periodic motion, which in turn results in the generation of heat, among other things. The drawbacks with the use of the aforesaid microwave oven when treating precursors to radiopharmaceuticals are that the microwave field cannot be adapted either to the type or to the quantity of the process liquid to be treated. The geometry of the oven is determined once and for all, and the microwave field can neither be concentrated nor varied with respect to strength and frequenc . The object of the present invention is to provide a method and a microwave device of the kind defined in the introduction which will enable a microwave cavity to be adapted geometrically to the amount and to the type of process liquid used, with the intention of shortening the process-liquid treatment time and of increasing the yield in which labelling substances are incorporated in a larger molecule. This is achieved in accordance with the invention with the aid of a microwave device of the kind defined in the following Claim 1 and with the aid of a method of the kind defined in the following Claim 5. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates schematically a microwave device constructed in accordance with the invent- ion; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the microwave cavity of the microwave device; Figure 3 is a diagramme which illustrates the effect of the microwave cavity geometry on solvent boiling times; Figure 4 is a diagramme which illustrates the effect of using salt in the process liquid to re¬ duce the boiling time of different solvents; Figure 5 is a diagramme which illustrates the rela¬ tionship between the intensity of the micro¬ wave field and the boiling time of given, different solvents with a given microwave cavity geometry; Figure 6 illustrates diagrammatically the reaction of 18 F with 4-nitro-4'-fluorobenzophenone; Figure 7 is a diagramme which illustrates the yield obtained when incorporating 18F with the aid of conventional heating processes in the absence of microwave treatment; Figure 8 is a diagramme corresponding to the dia¬ gramme of Figure 7 and illustrating the use of microwave treatment in a microwave device constructed in accordance with the invent¬ ion; and Figure 9 is finally a diagramme which illustrates the effect of the microwave cavity geometry on tthhee iinnccoorrppoorraattiioonn of 18F in the reaction shown in Figure 6. Figure 1 illustrates a microwave device constructed in accordance with the present invention. The device includes an antenna 1 for radiating a microwave field. A microwave generator (not shown), which preferably has a variable power output, supplies the generated micro¬ wave signal through a coaxial cable connected to the antenna 1. The antenna 1 is illustrated purely schema¬ tically and may, for example, be of the horn type. The antenna is arranged in a microwave cavity 2 formed by a tube 3 having two end-walls 4 and 5. A first opening 6 penetrates the tube wall and is disposed substantially midway along the elongated tube. A second opening 7 is located opposite the first opening 6 and also pene¬ trates the tube wall. Each of two coaxial bars 8, 9 extend from a respective end-wall inwardly towards the centre of the tube. Both of the bars are arranged centrally within the tube and present two mutually opposing end surfaces 10, 11. Each of the bars extends through a respective end-wall and is carried for axial movement by a respective holder device 12, 13. Each holder device includes a plurality of spacers in the form of rods 14 which are arranged concentrically at the end-wall and which are anchored to respective end- walls 4, 5. The rods 14 carry a plate 15 which is provided with an opening 16 in which respective bars 7, 8 are mounted for axial movement. The end-walls 4, 5, which define the resonance chamber in the cavity, are mounted for axial movement in the tube 3 and the position of respective end-walls can be adjusted by manipulating a respective, schematically illustrated setting rods 17 and 18. The length of the cavity, i.e. the distance between the end-walls 4, 5 is related to the wavelength of the microwave field, in a known manner. A schematically illustrated sample container 19 filled with process liquid 20 to be treated with microwave radiation is inserted through the openings 6, 7. Before inserting the container, the positions of the bars 8, 9 are adjusted so that the microwave field will be con- centrated on the process liquid 20, this adjustment being contingent on the geometry of the container 19. The end surfaces 10, 11 of the bars must not be placed so close to the container so as to cause electric sparking between the end surfaces. Neither should the energy of the microwave field be so high as to result in electric sparking. When microwave energy is delivered through the antenna, the process liquid 20 is subjected to the microwave field concentrated by the bars 8, 9. Treatment time will vary according to the type of liquid concerned and the quantity of said liquid. The microwave container 19 shall be made of a non- metallic material which will not be polarized by the microwave field. Quartz is a preferred material, in this respect, although Teflon or Pyrex can also be used. Applicant has found that the liquid treatment time can be shortened and the yield of the chemical reaction in said liquid can be increased by adjusting the distance between the mutually opposing end surfaces 10, 11 of the bars proportionally to the geometric shape of the container 19 located between said end surfaces, in other words by varying the geometry of the microwave cavity 2. When the quantity of liquid 20 is decreased and the mutual spacing of the bars is also decreased to a corresponding extent, the reaction time is shortened and the yield produced by said chemical reaction is increased in comparison to the case when a larger volume of process liquid and a correspondingly larger mutual distance between the end surfaces 10, 11 is used. Figure 2 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the microwave cavity in the area of the openings 6, 7. Two openings 21, 22 are provided opposite one another in the tube wall. The openings 21, 22 are displaced through an angle of 90° in relation to the openings 6, 7, as shown in Figure 2. In addition to varying the geometry of the microwave cavity with the intention of shortening the reaction times and increasing the reaction yield, the intensity of the microwave field can also be varied. This inten¬ sity, i.e. the field strength, may not be increased to unpermitted values at which electric sparking will occur between the bars 8, 9 or at which the process liquid will be destroyed. The reaction time can also be shortened and the reac¬ tion yield also increased by adding salts to the pro¬ cess liquid with the intention of increasing the number of ions in the process liquid, therewith also increas- ing the dielectric constant of the liquid and improving the correlationship between the alternating microwave field and the movement of the molecules in the process liquid. It is also possible to adapt the frequency of the microwave field to the resonance frequency of the process liquid in the microwave spectrum. When the frequency of the microwave field is changed, it is necessary to change the dimensions of the microwave cavity, by axially displacing the end-walls 4, 5 with the aid of the setting rods 17, 18. Figure 3 illustrates the effect obtained when reducing the internal diameter of the container from 5 mm to 4 mm, resulting in a greatly reduced boiling time for different solvents at fixed field strengths. Figure 4 illustrates the reduction in solvent boiling times when salt is added to the solvents. Figure 5 illustrates the correlationship between micro- wave intensity and the boiling time of different sol¬ vents with a microwave cavity and container of prede¬ termined geometry. Figure 6 illustrates the reaction of 18F with 4-nitro- 4'-fluorobenzophenone. Figure 6 also illustrates the 18 F-incorporation, expressed in percent, obtained in the reaction according to Figure 6 with conventional heating processes. It will be seen that heat treatment is continued for at least 30 minutes, resulting in a yield of about 40%. Figure 7 illustrates a reaction carried out in the inventive microwave device at a microwave energy of 35 watts. It will be seen that a yield of about 25% is obtained after only 2 minutes. Finally, Figure 9 illustrates how incorporation of 18F is influenced by the geometry of the container and the geometry of the microwave cavity. For example, the incorporation of F, F increases from about 8% in the case of a tube diameter of 6 mm, to about 20% in the case of a tube diameter of 4 mm, when the sample is subjected in both instances to a microwave power of 35 watts for 2.5 minutes. It will be seen from Figures 8 and 9 that it is not only the total incorporation of the products (A) and (B) in Figure 5 that is influenced by the geometry and field strength respectively, but also the distribution of the products. Furthermore, it is not only the polarity of the solvent in the reaction that is affected by the rapidly varying electromagnetic field, but also the distance between the counter-ions in the cryptofix-potassium carbonate fluoride complex varies with the rapidly varying electromagnetic field, which increases the reaction tendency of the ion reagent. It will be understood that the invention can be modi- fied and varied within the scope of the following Claims. For example, the microwave field can be con¬ centrated with the aid of lenses.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A microwave device for treating process liquids, preferably labelling precursors to radiopharmaceut- 5 icals, comprising an antenna (1) for radiating a microwave field; an elongated microwave cavity (2) in which the antenna is arranged and which is formed by a tube (3) having two end-walls; 10 - a first opening (6) which perforates the tube wall and which is located substantially midway along the elongated tube; two coaxial bars (8, 9), each of which extends from a respective end-wall towards the centre of the tube, 15. said bars being disposed centrally in the tube and having two mutually facing end surfaces, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a sample container (19) which is intended to be filled with process liquid (20) and to be inserted in 0 said opening so as to subject the process liquid to the influence of the microwave field in the microwave cavity; and - means (12, 13) for adjusting the distance between the mutually opposing end surfaces of the bars propor- 5 tionally to the geometric shape of the sample container located between said end surfaces. 2. A device according to Claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the sample container is made 0 from a non-metallic material which will not be polar¬ ized by the microwave field. 3. A device according to Claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the material is quartz, Pyrex or 5 Teflon. 4. A device according to Claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d by a second opening (7) which perforates the tube wall and which is located opposite the first opening, and by third (21) and fourth (22) openings which are located opposite one another and penetrate said tube wall and which are displaced through an angle of 90° in relation to the first and the second open¬ ings. 5. A method for treating process liquids, preferably when labelling precursors to radiopharmaceuticals, with microwave radiation, comprising the steps of introducing process liquid (20) into a sample con¬ tainer (19); and - introducing the sample container into a microwave cavity (2) in which a microwave field prevails, with the intention of polarizing the molecules of said liquid and of heating said liquid, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the further step of - concentrating the microwave field within the con¬ tainer, by varying the geometry of the microwave cavity (2) proportionally to the geometry of the container (19). 6. A method according to Claim 5, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that concentration of the microwave field is effected by moving mechanically two bars (8, 9) which are coaxially linear with one another on opposite sides of the container and which are disposed concentrically within the microwave cavity. 7. A method according to Claim 5, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the sample volume of the con¬ tainer (19) is maintained small so as to increase the reactivity of the process liquid at a given field strength of the microwave field. 8. A method according to Claim 5 or 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by varying the field strength of the microwave field with the intention of increasing reac¬ tivity of the process liquid at a given volume of process liquid. 9. A method according to Claim 5, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d by adding salts to the process liquid with the intention of increasing the dielectric con- stant of the liquid. 10. A method acccording to Claim 5, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d by adapting the frequency of the micro¬ wave field to the resonance frequency of the process liquid in the microwave spectrum.

Inventors: ELANDER NILS, STONE-ELANDER SHARON A, ELANDER, NILS, STONE-ELANDER, SHARON, A.
Applicants: ELANDER NILS, STONE ELANDER SHARON A, ELANDER, NILS, STONE-ELANDER, SHARON, A.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: H05B6
IPC codes: B01J19, H05B6