1. A radiopharmaceutical of the formula:
M(Ch)n,
or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
M is a radionuclide selected from: 64Cu, 67Cu, 67Ga, 68Ga, 99mTc, 111In, 90Y, 149Pr, 153Sm, 159Gd, 166Ho, 169Yb, 177Lu, 86Re, and 188Re;
Ch is an N-substituted 3-hydroxy-4-pyridinone compound of the formula (I):
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
X is selected from the group: CH2, C(O), C(S), P(O)R3R4, SO2, C(\u2550NH)NH, C(O)NH, and C(S)NH;
R1 and R2 are independently selected from: H, C1–C10 alkyl substituted with 0-5 R5, C2-C10 alkenyl substituted with 0-5 R5, aryl substituted with 0-3 R5, and heteroaryl substituted with 0-3 R5;
R3 and R4 are independently selected from: C1-C10 alkyl substituted with 0-5 R5, C2-C10 alkenyl substituted with 0-5 R5, aryl substituted with 0-3 R5, and heteroaryl substituted with 0-3 R5, or R3 and R4 may be taken together to form a C5-C7 cyclic alkyl group optionally interrupted with O or NR6;
R5 is selected from: OH, C(\u2550O)R6, C(\u2550O)OR6, C(\u2550O)NR6R7, PO(OR6)(OR7), and S(O)2OR6;
R6 and R7 are independently selected from: H, C1-C10 alkyl, and aryl; and
n is 2 or 3.
2. The radiopharmaceutical according to claim 1 wherein:
M is a radionuclide selected from: 67Ga, 68Ga, 99mTc, and 111In; and
n is 3.
3. The radiopharmaceutical according to claim 1 wherein:
M is 111In; and
n is 3.
4. The radiopharmaceutical according to claim 1 wherein:
M is 111In;
n is 3.
X is CH2;
R1 is H;
R2 is methyl; and
R3 and R4 are taken together form a 6-membered cyclic piperidine ring.
5. The radiopharmaceutical according to claim 1 wherein:
M is 111In;
n is 3;
X is CH2;
R1 is H;
R2 is methyl; and
R3 and R4 are taken together form a 6-membered cyclic morpholine ring.
6. A method of preparing a radiopharmaceutical of claim 1, comprising the step of:
reacting a salt of said radionuclide with an excess of said N-substituted 3-hydroxy-4-pyridinone compound of the formula (I).
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A semi-continuous vertical direct chill casting process for manufacturing a rolling slab andor extrusion billet, in which a separator and two liquid metal supply systems, optionally spouts or troughs or tundishes, arranged on either side of the separator, are used, and wherein said process comprises:
a) One aluminium alloy is cast through a first liquid metal supply system, optionally a spout or trough or tundish, into a semi-continuous vertical casting mould,
b) The separator, made of metal andor a refractory material, is introduced into the mould, in contact with the solidification front,
c) A second aluminium alloy is cast into the semi-continuous vertical casting mould, on the other side of the separator, via a second liquid metal supply system, optionally a spout or trough or tundish,
d) The separator is raised simultaneously with the end of casting of the alloys, or before the end of casting of the alloys, in which case, the alloys may mix together in a zone in which slab andor billet casting ended,
e) The solidified slab andor billet is removed from the semi-continuous casting mould,
wherein a vibrator, andor a vibratory motion is applied to the separator, at least while said separator is in contact with the solidification front, to prevent said separator from becoming trapped andor entrained by solidified metal.
2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the separator is raised before casting ceases, enabling the alloys to mix in a zone where casting ends, with said end zone then being cropped.
3. A process according to claim 1, wherein the alloys have different compositions.
4. A process according to claim 1, wherein a part of the slab andor billet where casting begins, before the separator is inserted and the second alloy cast, is also cropped.
5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the separator is a flat plate cut so as to mate with a vertical section of the solidification front extending across the mould.
6. A process according to claim 1, wherein the separator is a hollow cylinder.
7. A process according to claim 1, wherein the separator is a hollow body of essentially rectangular cross-section.
8. A process according to claim 7, wherein the essentially rectangular cross-section comprises at least one rounded corner for mating with a horizontal cross-section of the solidification front of a cast slab.
9. A process according to claim 7, wherein said process involves a hollow body that has a rectangular cross-section and a bottom defined by a non-flat surface with at least one profiled corner that matches a shape of the solidification front in a corner.
10. A process according to claim 1, wherein the separator comprises steel andor a refractory metal optionally comprising molybdenum or tungsten.
11. A process according to claim 1, wherein the separator comprises ceramic andor glass fibre-reinforced ceramic refractory material.
12. A process according to claim 1, wherein amplitude of vibrations applied to the separator is around 100 \u03bcm at a frequency ranging from approximately 100 Hz up to an ultrasonic frequency.
13. A process according to claim 1, wherein vibratory motion is produced by any pneumatic, electric andor ultrasound-emitting vibrator.
14. A process according to claim 1, wherein vibration frequency is in a range from 100 to 20,000 Hz.
15. A process according to claim 1, wherein vibration amplitude is in a range from 100 to 200 \u03bcm.
16. A process according to claim 1, wherein the first and second alloys have the same composition.
17. A process according to claim 1, modified to enable casting of more than two alloys, using multiple separators.
18. A semi-continuous direct chill vertical slab andor billet casting device comprising a tubular cylindrical andor rectangular semi-continuous vertical casting mould that is open-ended except for a bottom end, which is sealed at a start of casting by a bottom block, and wherein a lowering mechanism moves said bottom block downwards as the slab andor billet is cast and solidified by water in direct contact with a product, and wherein liquid metal is poured into a top of the mould, and the slab andor billet exits from a bottom end, and wherein a top opening is equipped with two metal supply devices, optionally spouts or troughs or tundishes, and a separator designed to be inserted into a sump of liquid metal in contact with a solidification front inside the mould, thereby dividing the sump into two separate zones, and further wherein the separator is connected to a vibrator device that enables a multidirectional vibratory motion to be imparted to the separator, at least throughout a period in which said separator is in contact with the solidification front, and wherein said vibrations have an amplitude from 100 to 200 \u03bcm, and are delivered at a frequency in a range from approximately 100 Hz up to ultrasonic frequency.
19. A device according to claim 18, wherein the separator is a flat plate.
20. A device according to claim 18, wherein the separator is a hollow cylinder used in combination with a tubular mould of essentially circular cross-section.
21. A device according to claim 19, wherein the separator is a hollow body of essentially rectangular cross-section used in combination with a tubular mould of essentially rectangular cross-section.
22. A device according to claim 21, wherein the essentially rectangular cross-section of the separator features one or more rounded corners mating with a horizontal section solidification front of a cast slab.
23. A device according to claim 21, wherein the separator is of rectangular cross-section and has a bottom defined by a non-flat surface with one or more profiled corners that match a shape of the solidification front.
24. A device according to claim 18, wherein the separator comprises steel andor a refractory metal optionally molybdenum or tungsten.
25. A device according to claim 18, wherein the separator comprises a ceramic andor glass fibre-reinforced ceramic refractory material.
26. A device according to claim 18, wherein the vibratory motion is produced by any pneumatic, electric andor ultrasound-emitting vibrator.
27. A device according to claim 18, capable of being modified to comprise more than one separator and more than two liquid metal supply devices, enabling slabs andor billets to be cast using more than two aluminium alloys.
28. A device according to claim 18, wherein said vibrations are delivered at a frequency of from 100 to 20,000 Hz.