[Fluorinated organic compounds: synthesis and biological applications]

Since the discovery of molecular fluorine by Henri Moissan, fluorinated products have found numerous biological applications. Fluorine substitution can have profound effects on the properties of organic compounds. The very high electronegativity of this small substituent can modify electron distribution in the molecule, affecting its absorption, distribution and metabolism. Fluorination and 18F labeling methods are briefly described. Some examples of enzymatic inhibition by fluorinated products are examined. Nowadays, fluorine-containing medicinals are featuring significantly in such diverse areas as the provision of anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents, antibiotics and general anesthetics, anti-parasitic and central nervous system agents, and in cardiac therapy. Fluorocarbon emulsions show promise as blood substitutes. Several medical diagnostic techniques, such as positron emission tomography and the use of X-ray contrast agents, have profited from the use of fluorinated substances.