Patent ID: 7005071

Claim:
A method of generating at least one polydentate metal chelating affinity ligand, which method comprises the steps of (a) providing at least one scaffold defined by a ring of the general formula (I) wherein X 1 , X 2 and X 3 irrespective of each other are sp 2 - or sp 3 -hybridised carbon atoms or heteroatoms, X 4 is a nucleophile and m is an integer of 0–2; (b) providing at least one polydentate metal chelating affinity ligand arm on each scaffold by derivatisation of the nucleophilic X 4 groups of said scaffolds while retaining the cyclic structure of the scaffold; and (c) opening the ring at a bond between the carbonyl and the sulphur of the derivatised scaffold by adding a reagent that adds one or more metal chelating affinity ligand arms to the scaffold.