STUDIES ON HEPATOBILIARY IMAGING AGENTS: SYNTHESIS OF N-SUBSTITUTED PHENYLCARBAMOYLMETHYL IMINODIACETIC ACIDS

In searching for new hepatobiliary imaging agents, thirty-nine analogues of Nsubstituted phenylcarbamoyl iminodiacetic acids were synthesized by reacting nitrilotriacetic acid with the corresponding substituted anilines in presence of acetic anhydride and anhydrous pyridine with satisfactory yield. This general method cannot be applied to compound 1 (N-(2-nitroacetanilido) iminodiacetic acid) which requires a two-step Synthesis. Studies on the biodistribution of these compounds are in progress.