18 F‐Labeled aromatic amino acids exhibit great potential for diagnostic applications using positron emission tomography. However, the introduction of 18 F into aromatic compounds remains challenging, and novel fluorination methods facilitating easy access to 18 F‐labeled arenes are highly sought after. In recent years, novel metal‐mediated fluorination methods have been reported and transferred into radiochemistry. Based on Cu‐mediated radiofluorination, a two‐step synthesis of no‐carrier‐added (n.c.a.) 6‐[ 18 F]fluoro‐ l ‐tryptophan was developed. 6‐[ 18 F]Fluoro‐ l ‐tryptophan was synthesized with an overall radochemical yield of 16 ± 4% within 110 min and a specific activity of 280 GBq µmol –1 . The radiochemical purity was more than 99 %. The developed method allowed access to radiofluorinated tryptophan derivatives in high radiochemical yields and opens new ways to provide radiofluorinated amino acids. Furthermore, the reaction conditions were optimized to facilitate automation.

The preservation of the nuclear polarization of hydrogen atoms during the recombination to molecules was observed on different surface materials in the temperature range from 45 to 100 K and for magnetic fields up to 1 T. On a gold and a fused quartz surface, the expected molecular polarization of about 50% or lower of the atomic polarization was measured, while a surface layer of perfluoropolyether (Fomblin) shows a nearly complete preservation (at least 97%) of the atomic polarization during the recombination process. Further experiments have the possibility of storing polarized deuterium molecules and to use them in nuclear-fusion installations. Another application might be the production of polarized substances for enhanced NMR techniques.

Several (18)F-labeled aromatic amino acids have been developed primarily for tumor imaging with positron-emission-tomography (PET). Also, (18)F-labeled tryptophan derivatives were synthesized by electrophilic (18)F-fluorination or by introducing a [(18)F]fluoroalkyl group. Here, a 3-step method for a nucleophilic radiosynthesis of 4-[(18)F]fluoro-L-tryptophan was developed. A carbonyl activated precursor containing a chiral amino acid building block was radiofluorinated by isotopic exchange, followed by removal of the activating formyl group by reductive decarbonylation and subsequent cleavage of the building block under acidic conditions. The title compound was obtained within 100 min with a radiochemical yield of about 13%, a molar activity of >70 MBq/mmol and an enantiomeric excess of >99%.

Lamb-shift polarimeters are used to measure the nuclear polarization of protons and deuterons at energies of a few keV. In combination with an ionizer, the polarization of hydrogen and deuterium atoms was determined after taking into account the loss of polarization during the ionization process. The present work shows that the nuclear polarization of hydrogen or deuterium molecules can be measured as well, by ionizing the molecules and injecting the H2(+) (or D2(+)) ions into the Lamb-shift polarimeter.