Rhenium (V) gluconate, a suitable precursor for the preparation of rhenium (V) complexes

Reduction of perrhenate with stannous chloride at an excess of sodium gluconate in aqueous solution results in formation of rhenium(V) gluconate. The reaction proceeds slowly compared to that of pertechnetate. Aqueous solutions of rhenium(V) gluconate can be prepared down to a concentration level of at least 10 4 mol·-1 within two hours. The usefulness of rhenium(V) gluconate to serve as a precursor for preparation of oxorhenium(V) complexes as potential radio therapeutic agents is revealed by subsequent ligand exchange reactions carried out with mercaptoacetyldiglycine, 3-thiapentane-dithiol-1,5/butanethiol and with 2-aminobenzenethiol. 5 figs., 14 refs