The problems caused by radiation damage as well as difficulties in separation and identification are worse for organic astatine derivatives than for inorganic compounds.
[1] Alkyl and aryl astatides are relatively stable and have been analysed at high temperatures (120 °C) with radio gas chromatography.
[2] Demercuration reactions have produced with good yields trace quantities of 211At-containing aromatic amino acids, steroids, and imidazoles, among other compounds.
Astatine can be incorporated into organic molecules via halogen exchange, halodediazotation (replacing a diazonium group), halodeprotonation, or halodemetallation.
Two-step procedures are used today, first synthesising stable astatoaryl prosthetic groups before incorporating them into the protein.