Synthesis and vesicle formation of a nido-carborane cluster lipid for boron neutron capture therapy

The nido-carborane lipid 2, which has a double-tailed moiety, was synthesized from heptadecanol in 5 steps. Analysis in a transmission electron microscope by negative staining with uranyl acetate showed that the lipid 2 formed a stable vesicle in which calcein was encapsulated. The lipid 2 was incorporated into distearoylphosphatidylcholine ( DSPC) liposomes at a very high concentration.