The Synthesis of Carborane-Appended Dopamine and L-Dopa for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

With a series of reactions, biological molecules Dopamine and L-Dopa were conjugated with carborane in an effort to synthesize new boron delivery agents for a bimodal cancer treatment known as Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). The products of these reactions were purified using column chromatography, and characterized with Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy. The successful synthesis of carborane-appended dopamine and L-Dopa has been supported with characterizations performed thus far. In the future, the compounds will undergo further analysis with elemental analysis, mass spectroscopy, and biodistribution studies to determine cytotoxicity and cellular uptake in the future.B.S. (Bachelor of Science