Organochromium complexes - labelled aminoglycoside antibiotics derived from kanamycin A and tobramycin. Synthesis, structural characterization and use as metallotracers for immunoassays.

Abstract The synthesis of metallocenic derivatives of aminoglycoside antibiotics, i. e. kanamycin A and tobramycin, is described. The organometallic-labelled compounds have been obtained from the reaction between the polyaminodrugs and organochromium esters of N-hydroxysuccinimide. The reaction proceeded selectively at the 6′-N position, as might be deduced both from the mass and the pH-dependent 13 C-NMR spectra. The procedure could be regarded as generally useful for the metallolabelling of aminoglycoside antibiotics. As an example of application a competitive immunoassay based on the use of these labels is proposed.