The objective of this thesis work was to develop CXCR4-targeted tools to localize and treat cancer at an early stage. In this line, we investigated the synthesis of new target-specific radiopharmaceuticals. The work focused on two main axes, i.e. the chelating agent and the carrier, by using the know-how and the expertise of our group in polyazacycloalkanes synthesis and functionalization. In the first part, we were interested in developing new macrocyclic scaffolds of high potential for copper and gallium chelation. We first focused on the development of a new powerful route towards selectively functionalized constrained homocyclens. The second part was based on C-functionalized 1,4,7-triazacyclononane (TACN) and its derivatives. From a synthetic route previously developed in our group, we were able to facilitate and optimize the synthesis of selectively N- and C-functionalized TACN. By varying the grafting functions and the pendant coordinating arms, we prepared several really promising bifunctional chelating agents for copper and gallium chelation. We also investigated the synthesis of new cryptands based on cyclen and we studied their properties towards copper complexation. In the second part of this thesis work, we were interested in generating a new family of imaging agents based on well-known CXCR4 antagonists, i.e. AMD3100 and AMD3465. The access towards these agents first required the preparation of original building blocks by modification of the AMD3100 and AMD3465 cores. The conjugation of such platforms onto the appropriate probe enabled the synthesis of various systems for optical and nuclear imaging. Thus, we were able to introduce a bodipy dye and several chelators adapted for gallium, copper and indium chelation
