99m Tc.sup.(III) myocardial imaging agents which are non-reducable in vivo

Claim 2

A complex comprising a cationic 99m Tc(III) complex having a reduction potential for the Tc(III)/(II) couple sufficiently negative to prevent in vivo reduction from Tc(III) to Tc(II) in humans having a Tc(III/II) reduction potential electrode at least about as negative as -0.3 volts relative to a Ag/AgCl reference in N,N' dimethyl formamide with 0.5 M tetraethylammonium perchlorate wherein said cationic 99m Tc(III) complex has the following general formula: ##STR28## wherein A 1 -A 6 represent atoms coordinatively bonded to said Tc and at least 3 and no more than 4 of said A 1 -A 6 represent an atom selected from the group consisting of N, O, Cl, S, Br, and the remaining of A 1 -A 6 represent an atom selected from the group consisting of P, As, Te; and R 1 -R 6 combined with said A 1 -A 6 repesent ligands complexed to said Tc, and wherein when A represents Cl - or Br - , A--R represents only one atom.

Claim 3

The complex claimed in claim 1 wherein A 3 --R 3 , A 4 --R 4 and A 5 --R 5 collectively represent a tridentate ligand.

Claim 6

The complex claimed in claim 1 wherein A 1 --R 1 and A 2 --R 2 both represent a ligand having the following general formula: ##STR29## wherein A represents a soft atom and R represents C 1 -C 5 alkyl, a C 1 -C 5 alkyl substituted by a group selected from the groups consisting of hydroxyl, ketone, nitrile, ether, amide and ester groups, phenyl and phenyl substituted with a group selected from the groups consisting of hydroxyl, ether, ester and amide groups and oxy-C 1 -C 5 alkyl.

Claim 7

The complex claimed in claim 1 wherein A 3 --R 3 , A 4 --R 4 , A 5 --R 5 and A 6 --R 6 combined represent a tetradentate ligand having the following general formula: ##STR30## wherein at least two of said A 3 -A 6 represent atoms selected from the group consisting of N, O, Cl, S, Br and A 1 and A 2 each represent an atom selected from the group consisting of P, As and Te; and wherein R 7 , R 8 and R 9 represent C 1 -C 10 alkylene, C 1 -C 10 alkylene substituted with a group selected from the groups consisting of hydroxyl, ketone, aldehyde, ester, amide, nitrile and carbohydrate groups, arylene, arylene substituted with a group selected form the groups consisting of hydroxyl, ketone, aldehyde, ester, amide, nitrile and carbohydrate groups, C 1 -C 4 alkylenearylene, C 1 -C 4 alkylenearylene substituted with a group selected from the groups consisting of hydroxyl, ketone, aldehyde, ester, amide, nitrile and carbohydrate groups, C 1 -C 4 alkenyl and C 1 -C 4 alkenyl substituted with a group selected from the groups consisting of hydroxyl, ketone, aldehyde, ester, amide, nitrile and carbohydrate groups.

Claim 8

The complex claimed in claim 5 wherein A 3 -A 6 all represent hard atoms.

Claim 9

The complex claimed in claim 5 wherein A 3 -A 6 represent atoms selected from the group consisting of N, O and S.

Claim 10

The complex claimed in claim 7 wherein said tetradentate ligand is a Schiff base ligand.

Claim 11

The complex claimed in claim 8 wherein said tetradentate ligand is selected from the group consisting of (acac) 2 en, (Sal) 2 en (sal) 2 phen, (buac) 2 en, (bzac) 2 en (brac) 2 en, (acac) 2 pn.

Claim 12

The complex claimed in claim 9 wherein said tetradentate ligand is selected from the group consisting of (acac) 2 en and (acac) 2 pn and said A 1 --R 1 and A 2 --R 2 represent ligands selected form the group consisting of tert-butylisonitrile, trimethylphosphine and trimethylphosphite.

Claim 13

The complex claimed in claim 6 wherein A 1 and A 2 represent soft atoms and A 1 --R 1 and A 2 --R 2 represent ligands having the following general formula: ##STR31## wherein R represents C 1 -C 5 alkyl C 1 -C 5 alkyl substituted with a group selected from the groups consisting of hydroxyl, ketone, nitrile, ether, amide and ester groups, phenyl and phenyl substituted with a group selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, ether, ester and amide groups and oxy-C 1 -C 5 alkyl.

Claim 14

The complex claimed in claim 5 wherein A 1 --R 1 and A 2 --R 2 each collectively represent a ligand selected from the group consisting of Cl - , --OH - .

Claim 15

The complex claimed in claim 2 wherein said tridentate ligand is selected from the group consisting of: ##STR32## wherein X represents O or S; R' represents H or --CH 3 ; R" represents C 1 -C 3 alkylene.

Claim 16

The method of imaging the heart of a human comprising intravenously applying an effective amount of the complex claimed in claim 1 into said human and detecting radiation emitted from said complex which localizes in the heart of the said human.

Claim 17

The method of imaging the heart of a human comprising intravenously applying an effective amount of the complex claimed in claim 4 into said human and detecting radiation emitted from said complex which localizes in the heart of the said human.

Claim 18

The method of imaging the heart of a human comprising intravenously applying an effective amount of the complex claimed in claim 5 into said human and detecting radiation emitted from said complex which localizes in the heart of the said human.

Claim 19

The method of imaging the heart of a human comprising intravenously applying an effective amount of the complex claimed in claim 6 into said human and detecting radiation emitted from said complex which localizes in the heart of the said human.

Claim 20

The method of imaging the heart of a human comprising intravenously applying an effective amount of the complex claimed in claim 7 into said human and detecting radiation emitted from said complex which localizes in the heart of the said human.

Claim 21

The method of imaging the heart of a human comprising intravenously applying and effective amount of the complex claimed in claim 8 into said human and detecting radiation emitted from said complex which localizes in the heart of the said human.

Claim 22

The method of imaging the heart of a human comprising intravenously applying an effective amount of the complex claimed in claim 9 into said human and detecting radiation emitted from said complex which localizes in the heart of the said human.

Claim 23

The method of imaging the heart of a human comprising intravenously applying an effective amount of the complex claimed in claim 10 into said human and detecting radiation emitted from said complex which localizes in the heart of the said human.

Claim 24

The method of imaging the heart of a human comprising intravenously applying an effective amount of the complex claimed in claim 11 into said human. and detecting radiation emitted from said complex which localizes in the heart of the said human.

Claim 25

The method of imaging the heart of a human comprising intravenously applying an effective amount of the complex claimed in claim 12 into said human and detecting radiation emitted from said complex which localizes in the heart of the said human.

Claim 26

The method of imaging the heart of a human comprising intravenously applying an effective amount of the complex claimed in claim 2 into said human and detecting radiation emitted from said complex which localizes in the heart of the said human.

Claim 27

The method of imaging the heart of a human comprising intravenously applying an effective amount of the complex claimed in claim 13 into said human and detecting radiation emitted from said complex which localizes in the heart of the said human.