HBEDCC

HBED-CC is a chelating ligand derived from the HBED family of hexadentate chelators. It is designed as a bifunctional chelator for use in coordination chemistry and radiopharmacy, enabling stable complex formation with metal ions while allowing attachment to biomolecules such as peptides or antibodies. The HBED family characteristically features phenolate and carboxylate donor atoms, which confer high affinity for a range of metal ions.

HBED-CC is most notably employed in the radiolabeling of biomolecules for positron emission tomographic (PET) imaging. In this context, it acts as a bifunctional chelator that can form stable complexes with radiometals such as gallium-68 and copper-64 under mild, aqueous conditions, facilitating rapid labeling at room temperature or near-physiological pH. The design aims to provide robust in vivo stability and favorable pharmacokinetics for imaging probes.

Compared with other chelators, HBED-CC offers a different coordination environment that can influence metal ion selectivity, complex stability, and labeling practicality. Its use as a BFC makes it an alternative to more widely used chelators such as DOTA or NOTA in certain radiopharmaceutical applications. Research on HBED-CC continues to assess its binding properties, biodistribution, and potential advantages for diagnostic imaging.

Beyond radiopharmacy, HBED-CC and related HBED derivatives are studied in coordination chemistry for their metal-binding behavior and potential applications in catalysis or metal sensing. As with many specialized chelators, the suitability of HBED-CC depends on the target metal, biological context, and desired imaging or therapeutic outcome.