Synthesis of a tritium-labeled photo-affinity probe based on an atypical leukotriene biosynthesis inhibitor

A radiolabeled photo-affinity probe containing a diazirine group was designed and synthesized based on an atypical leukotriene (LT) biosynthesis inhibitor to determine whether this type of inhibitor (such as 5) interacts with a novel protein, critical for LT biosynthesis. One of the key transformations was to introduce a tritium label in the thiazole ring. This was eventually achieved by treating the iodinated compound with tritium, Pt/C (sulfided) and triethylamine in anhydrous aprotic solvent, to give the tritiated compound with a specific activity of 303 GBq/mmol. The affinity probe will be used to identify the proteins and protein complexes with which this type of molecules interacts with in inflammatory cells.