Rapid synthesis of 1,7-bis(t-butoxycarbonylmethyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (DO2A-t-Bu ester).

A three-step route was used to synthesize 1,7-bis(t-butoxycarbonylmethyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (DO2A-t-Bu ester) from 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (cyclen). The overall time of reaction was reduced from a combined ~56 h to 2.3 h with an overall yield comparable to previously reported methods.