396
IBRAHIM et al.
Animals. Female Swiss Albino mice weighing 20–
methylquinoxaline 1,4-dioxide 1 (2.48 g, 0.01 mol) in
CCl4 (50 ml) and CHCl3 (50 ml) in the presence of
benzoyl peroxide (0.20 g) as initiator. The solution was
stirred and heated under reflux for 24 h. The organic
layer was washed with cold water (3 × 30 ml), dried
over anhydrous Na2SO4, and evaporated in a vacuum
to give an oily material. The resulting oil was triturated
with diethyl ether and recrystallized from 90% ethanol
to give pure product 2 (2.41 g, 73.7% yield), mp 112–
114°C. IR (KBr, ν, cm–1): 1739 (CO), 1346 (N–O).
1H NMR (CDCl3), δ, ppm: 1.52 t (3H, J = 7.2 Hz, CH3,
ester), 4.63 q (2H, J = 7.2 Hz, CH2, ester), 4.75 s (2H,
CH2Br), 7.84–7.90 m (4H, Qu). Calculated for
C12H11BrN2O4 (M = 327.13): C 44.06; H 3.39; N 8.56.
Found: C 44.36; H 3.65; N 8.30.
25 g were purchased from the Institute of Eye Re-
search, Cairo, Egypt. The environmental and nutri-
tional conditions were kept constant throughout the
experimental period. The mice were kept at room tem-
perature (22 ± 2°C) with a 12 h on/off light schedule.
Female mice were used in this study because their sus-
ceptibility to Ehrlich ascites carcinoma was higher
than that of the male mice [7]. Animals were kept with
free access to food and water throughout the experi-
ment.
Synthesis of Q3D. The scheme of the synthesis of
the target compound 3 is shown below. The quinoxa-
line derivative with active methyl group in the side
chain 1 [8] was brominated with N-bromosuccinimide
(NBS) in the presence of benzoyl peroxide as a cata-
lyst in CCl4 to obtain quinoxaline bromomethyl deriva-
2-{[Benzyl(2-cyanoethyl)amino]methyl}-3-
(ethoxycarbonyl)quinoxaline 1,4-dioxide. A solution
of 2 (1.6 g, 0.005 mol) and 3-N-benzylaminopropioni-
trile in ethanol (30 ml), with potassium carbonate (3 g)
added, was refluxed for 4 h. The mixture was poured
into cold water (50 ml), and the precipitate was filtered
off. Recrystallization from ethanol gave pure product 3
(1.1 g), mp 98°C. IR (KBr, ν, cm–1): 2234 (CN) and
1
tive 2 in 73.7% yield. The H NMR spectrum of
bromomethyl derivative 2 reflects the presence of
CH2Br protons at δ 4.75 ppm.
1
1710 (CO, ester). H NMR (CDCl3), δ, ppm: 1.43 t
(3H, J = 7.2 Hz, CH3, ester), 2.23 t (2H, J = 7.3 Hz,
CH2CH2CN), 3.12 t (2H, J = 7.3 Hz, CH2CH2CN),
4.11 q (2H, J = 7.2 Hz, CH2, ester), 4.33 s (2H,
CH2Ph), 4.89 s (2H, QuCH2), 7.65–7.90 m (9H, aro-
matic). Calculated for C22H22N4O4 (M = 406.43):
C 65.01; H 5.46; N 13.78. Found: C 65.34; H 5.75;
N 13.40.
Iodine labeling. 125I-Q3D was prepared by the fol-
lowing procedure: 1 mg of Q3D was dissolved in 1 ml
of DMF with stirring. A 10 : 1 (w/w) solution of
Chloramine T (CAT) in double-distilled water was
prepared, and 50–100 μg was added to 100 μl of Q3D
solution in a dark colored tube, after which approxi-
mately 50–100 MBq of 125I was added at room tem-
perature. After a specified interval of time, the reaction
was stopped by adding a 0.2 N Na2S2O3 solution to
reduce the unchanged iodine before chromatographic
analysis [9]. The product yield and radiochemical pu-
rity were determined by paper electrophoresis. In the
process, free iodide moved toward the anode at the top,
whereas the target compound persisted near the point
of spotting.
Quinoxaline bromomethyl derivative 2 was reacted
with 3-(benzylamino)propionitrile in the presence of
potassium carbonate in ethanol to obtain target com-
pound 3. Compound 3 is hygroscopic and should be
kept under anhydrous conditions. The IR spectrum of 3
contains the cyano group absorption band at 2234 cm–1.
1
Its H NMR spectrum shows the presence of five me-
thylene protons at δ 2.23, 3.12, 4.11, 4.33, and
4.89 ppm. Attempted cyclization of 3 under widely
varied conditions (bases, solvents, temperatures) failed
to give the azepinoquinoxaline ring system, and the
decomposition occurred instead.
Factors affecting labeling yield. With the aim of
optimizing the synthesis conditions, we examined the
effect of the following factors on the labeling yield:
oxidant amount (10, 25, 50, and 100 μg), Q3D amount
2-(Bromomethyl)-3-(ethoxycarbonyl)quinoxaline
1,4-dioxide 2. N-Bromosuccinimide (1.95 g, 0.011 mol)
was added to a solution of 2-(ethoxycarbonyl)-3-
RADIOCHEMISTRY Vol. 54 No. 4 2012