An automated system was developed to synthesize 18F-labeled compounds using [ 18F]fluoroethyl bromide ([ 18F]FEtBr) as a synthetic precursor. The apparatus makes possible the following sequence of processes: (1) production of an aqueous solution of [ 18F]fluoride ([ 18F]F −), (2) recovery of [ 18F]F − from target chamber, (3) drying of [ 18F]F −, (4) formation and distillation of [ 18F]FEtBr into a trapping vessel, (5) alkylation of target compounds with [ 18F]FEtBr, (6) High performance liquid chromatography purification and (7) formulation. [ 18F]FEtBr, the synthetic precursor for fluoroethylation, was labeled via nucleophilic displacement of 2-trifluoromethanesulfonyloxy ethylbromide (BrCH 2CH 2OTf) with [ 18F]F − and was purified from the reaction mixture by distillation. After the conditions for forming [ 18F]FEtBr and drying [ 18F]F − were optimized, [ 18F]FEtBr was obtained in a radiochemical yield of 71±13% ( n=21, based on [ 18F]F −, corrected for decay) and a radiochemical purity of 98±1.4% at end of the syntheses (EOS). Using this automated system, [ 18F]fluoroethylspiperone ([ 18F]FEtSP) was prepared by reacting spiperone with [ 18F]FEtBr in a radiochemical yield and purity of 56±12% ( n=5, based on [ 18F]FEtBr, corrected for decay) and 97±1.5% with a specific activity of 310±120 GBq/μmol at EOS. The total synthesis time was 55±2.3 min from the end of bombardment and the developed system has proved to be reliable and reproducible.