Abstract: The invention provides a method for identifying a candidate imaging probe, the method comprising: a) contacting a first library of candidate compounds with a target biomacromolecule, b) identifying a first member from the first library exhibiting affinity for the first binding site; c) contacting the first member identified from the first library affinity for the first binding site with the target biomacromolecule; d) contacting a second library of candidate compounds with the first member and the target biomacromolecule, e) reacting the complementary first functional group with the second functional group via a biomacromolecule induced click chemistry reaction to form the candidate imaging probe; f) isolating and identifying the candidate imaging probe; g) preparing the candidate imaging probe by chemical synthesis; and h) for imaging applications, converting the candidate imaging probe into an imaging probe.

Abstract: A diverse set of tubulin binding agents have been discovered which are structurally characterized, in a general sense, by a semi-rigid molecular framework capable of maintaining aryl-aryl, pseudo pi stacking distances appropriate for molecular recognition of tubulin. In phenolic or amino form, these ligands may be further functionalized to prepare phosphate esters, phosphate salts, phosphoramidates, and other prodrugs capable of demonstrating selective targeting and destruction of tumor cell vasculature.