15 N MRI of SLIC-SABRE Hyperpolarized 15 N-Labelled Pyridine and Nicotinamide

High H2 Solubility of Perfluorocarbon Solvents and Their Use in Reversible Polarization Transfer from para-Hydrogen

This research uses perfluorocarbons (PFCs) as effective alternatives to traditional toxic solvents in reversible para-hydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP) for NMR signal enhancement. Hydrogen solubility in PFCs is shown here to be an order of magnitude higher than in typical organic solvents by determination of Henry's constants. We demonstrate how this high H2 solubility enables the PFCs to deliver substantial polarization transfer from para-hydrogen, achieving up to 2400-fold signal gains for 1H NMR detection and 67,000-fold (22% polarization) for 15N NMR detection at 9.4 T in substrates such as pyridine and nicotine. Notably, methylperfluorobutylether outperforms catalytic efficiency in methanol-d4 and dichloromethane-d2 for pyridine at low catalyst loadings. This makes PFCs particularly advantageous for applications demanding high NMR sensitivity. With high polarization efficiency and reduced toxicity, PFCs hold strong potential for expanding hyperpolarized NMR applications across the biomedical and analytical fields.

Molecules, Up Your Spins!

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are indispensable tools in science and medicine, offering insights into the functions of biological processes [...].

13C MRI of hyperpolarized pyruvate at 120 µT

Nuclear spin hyperpolarization increases the sensitivity of magnetic resonance dramatically, enabling many new applications, including real-time metabolic imaging. Parahydrogen-based signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) was employed to hyperpolarize [1-13C]pyruvate and demonstrate 13C imaging in situ at 120 µT, about twice Earth's magnetic field, with two different signal amplification by reversible exchange variants: SABRE in shield enables alignment transfer to heteronuclei (SABRE-SHEATH), where hyperpolarization is transferred from parahydrogen to [1-13C]pyruvate at a magnetic field below 1 µT, and low-irradiation generates high tesla (LIGHT-SABRE), where hyperpolarization was prepared at 120 µT, avoiding magnetic field cycling. The 3-dimensional images of a phantom were obtained using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) based magnetic field detector with submillimeter resolution. These 13C images demonstrate the feasibility of low-field 13C metabolic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 50 mM [1-13C]pyruvate hyperpolarized by parahydrogen in reversible exchange imaged at about twice Earth's magnetic field. Using thermal 13C polarization available at 120 µT, the same experiment would have taken about 300 billion years.

Nitrogen-15 dynamic nuclear polarization of nicotinamide derivatives in biocompatible solutions

Dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (dDNP) increases the sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging by more than 10,000 times, enabling in vivo metabolic imaging to be performed noninvasively in real time. Here, we are developing a group of dDNP polarized tracers based on nicotinamide (NAM). We synthesized 1-15N-NAM and 1-15N nicotinic acid and hyperpolarized them with dDNP, reaching (13.0 ± 1.9)% 15N polarization. We found that the lifetime of hyperpolarized 1-15N-NAM is strongly field- and pH-dependent, with T1 being as long as 41 s at a pH of 12 and 1 T while as short as a few seconds at neutral pH and fields below 1 T. The remarkably short 1-15N lifetime at low magnetic fields and neutral pH drove us to establish a unique pH neutralization procedure. Using 15N dDNP and an inexpensive rodent imaging probe designed in-house, we acquired a 15N MRI of 1-15N-NAM (previously hyperpolarized for more than an hour) in less than 1 s.

Over 20% Carbon-13 Polarization of Perdeuterated Pyruvate Using Reversible Exchange with Parahydrogen and Spin-Lock Induced Crossing at 50 μT

Carbon-13 hyperpolarized pyruvate is about to become the next-generation contrast agent for molecular magnetic resonance imaging of cancer and other diseases. Here, efficient and rapid pyruvate hyperpolarization is achieved via signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) with parahydrogen through synergistic use of substrate deuteration, alternating, and static microtesla magnetic fields. Up to 22 and 6% long-lasting ¹³C polarization (T₁ = 3.7 ± 0.25 and 1.7 ± 0.1 min) is demonstrated for the C1 and C2 nuclear sites, respectively. The remarkable polarization levels become possible as a result of favorable relaxation dynamics at the microtesla fields. The ultralong polarization lifetimes will be conducive to yielding high polarization after purification, quality assurance, and injection of the hyperpolarized molecular imaging probes. These results pave the way to future in vivo translation of carbon-13 hyperpolarized molecular imaging probes prepared by this approach.

LIGHT-SABRE Hyperpolarizes 1-13C-Pyruvate Continuously without Magnetic Field Cycling

Nuclear spin hyperpolarization enables real-time observation of metabolism and intermolecular interactions in vivo. 1-¹³C-pyruvate is the leading hyperpolarized tracer currently under evaluation in several clinical trials as a promising molecular imaging agent. Still, the quest for a simple, fast, and efficient hyperpolarization technique is ongoing. Here, we describe that continuous, weak irradiation in the audio-frequency range of the ¹³C spin at the 121 μT magnetic field (approximately twice Earth's field) enables spin order transfer from parahydrogen to ¹³C magnetization of 1-¹³C-pyruvate. These so-called LIGHT-SABRE pulses couple nuclear spin states of parahydrogen and pyruvate via the J-coupling network of reversibly exchanging Ir-complexes. Using ∼100% parahydrogen at ambient pressure, we polarized 51 mM 1-¹³C-pyruvate in the presence of 5.1 mM Ir-complex continuously and repeatedly to a polarization of 1.1% averaged over free and catalyst-bound pyruvate. The experiments were conducted at -8 °C, where almost exclusively bound pyruvate was observed, corresponding to an estimated 11% polarization on bound pyruvate. The obtained hyperpolarization levels closely match those obtained via SABRE-SHEATH under otherwise identical conditions. The creation of three different types of spin orders was observed: transverse ¹³C magnetization along the applied magnetic field, ¹³C z-magnetization along the main field B ₀, and ¹³C-¹H zz-spin order. With a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) for detection, we found that the generated spin orders result from ¹H-¹³C J-coupling interactions, which are not visible even with our narrow linewidth below 0.3 Hz and at -8 °C.

Subsecond Three-Dimensional Nitrogen-15 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Facilitated by Parahydrogen-Based Hyperpolarization

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides unique information about the internal structure and function of living organisms in a non-invasive way. The use of conventional proton MRI for the observation of real-time metabolism is hampered by the dominant signals of water and fat, which are abundant in living organisms. Heteronuclear MRI in conjunction with the hyperpolarization methods does not encounter this issue. In this work, we polarized 15N nuclei of [15N1]fampridine (a drug used for the treatment of multiple sclerosis) to the level of 4% in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments and 0.7% in MRI studies using spin-lock-induced crossing combined with signal amplification by reversible exchange. Consequently, three-dimensional 15N MRI of the hyperpolarized 15N-labeled drug was acquired in 0.1 s with a signal-to-noise ratio of 70. In addition, the NMR signal enhancements for 15N-enriched fampridine and fampridine with a natural abundance of 15N nuclei were compared and an explanation for their difference was proposed.

Toward Optimizing and Understanding Reversible Hyperpolarization of Lactate Esters Relayed from para-Hydrogen

The SABRE-Relay hyperpolarization method is used to enhance the ¹H and ¹³C NMR signals of lactate esters, which find use in a wide range of medical, pharmaceutical, and food science applications. This is achieved by the indirect relay of magnetization from para-hydrogen, a spin isomer of dihydrogen, to OH-containing lactate esters via a SABRE-hyperpolarized NH intermediary. This delivers ¹H and ¹³C NMR signal enhancements as high as 245- and 985-fold, respectively, which makes the lactate esters far more detectable using NMR. DFT-calculated J-couplings and spin dynamics simulations indicate that, while polarization can be transferred from the lactate OH to other ¹H nuclei via the J-coupling network, incoherent mechanisms are needed to polarize the ¹³C nuclei at the 6.5 mT transfer field used. The resulting sensitivity boost is predicted to be of great benefit for the NMR detection and quantification of low concentrations (<mM) of lactate esters and could provide a useful precursor for the production of hyperpolarized lactate, a key metabolite.

Dual-Mode Tumor Imaging Using Probes That Are Responsive to Hypoxia-Induced Pathological Conditions

Hypoxia in solid tumors is associated with poor prognosis, increased aggressiveness, and strong resistance to therapeutics, making accurate monitoring of hypoxia important. Several imaging modalities have been used to study hypoxia, but each modality has inherent limitations. The use of a second modality can compensate for the limitations and validate the results of any single imaging modality. In this review, we describe dual-mode imaging systems for the detection of hypoxia that have been reported since the start of the 21st century. First, we provide a brief overview of the hallmarks of hypoxia used for imaging and the imaging modalities used to detect hypoxia, including optical imaging, ultrasound imaging, photoacoustic imaging, single-photon emission tomography, X-ray computed tomography, positron emission tomography, Cerenkov radiation energy transfer imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, electron paramagnetic resonance imaging, magnetic particle imaging, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and mass spectrometric imaging. These overviews are followed by examples of hypoxia-relevant imaging using a mixture of probes for complementary single-mode imaging techniques. Then, we describe dual-mode molecular switches that are responsive in multiple imaging modalities to at least one hypoxia-induced pathological change. Finally, we offer future perspectives toward dual-mode imaging of hypoxia and hypoxia-induced pathophysiological changes in tumor microenvironments.

Real-Time High-Sensitivity Reaction Monitoring of Important Nitrogen-Cycle Synthons by 15N Hyperpolarized Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

Here, we show how signal amplification by reversible exchange hyperpolarization of a range of ¹⁵N-containing synthons can be used to enable studies of their reactivity by ¹⁵N nuclear magnetic resonance (NO₂^– (28% polarization), ND₃ (3%), PhCH₂NH₂ (5%), NaN₃ (3%), and NO₃^– (0.1%)). A range of iridium-based spin-polarization transfer catalysts are used, which for NO₂^– work optimally as an amino-derived carbene-containing complex with a DMAP-d₂ coligand. We harness long ¹⁵N spin-order lifetimes to probe in situ reactivity out to 3 × T₁. In the case of NO₂^– (T₁ 17.7 s at 9.4 T), we monitor PhNH₂ diazotization in acidic solution. The resulting diazonium salt (¹⁵N-T₁ 38 s) forms within 30 s, and its subsequent reaction with NaN₃ leads to the detection of hyperpolarized PhN₃ (T₁ 192 s) in a second step via the formation of an identified cyclic pentazole intermediate. The role of PhN₃ and NaN₃ in copper-free click chemistry is exemplified for hyperpolarized triazole (T₁ < 10 s) formation when they react with a strained alkyne. We also demonstrate simple routes to hyperpolarized N₂ in addition to showing how utilization of ¹⁵N-polarized PhCH₂NH₂ enables the probing of amidation, sulfonamidation, and imine formation. Hyperpolarized ND₃ is used to probe imine and ND₄⁺ (T₁ 33.6 s) formation. Furthermore, for NO₂^–, we also demonstrate how the ¹⁵N-magnetic resonance imaging monitoring of biphasic catalysis confirms the successful preparation of an aqueous bolus of hyperpolarized ¹⁵NO₂^– in seconds with 8% polarization. Hence, we create a versatile tool to probe organic transformations that has significant relevance for the synthesis of future hyperpolarized pharmaceuticals.

Phase coherent excitation of SABRE permits simultaneous hyperpolarization of multiple targets at high magnetic field

Hyperpolarization methods in magnetic resonance overcome sensitivity limitations, especially for low-γ nuclei such as 13C and 15N. Signal Amplification By Reversible Exchange (SABRE) and extended SABRE (X-SABRE) are efficient and low-cost methods for generating large polarizations on a variety of nuclei, but they most commonly use low magnetic fields (μT-mT). High field approaches, where hyperpolarization is generated directly in the spectrometer, are potentially much more convenient but have been limited to selectively hyperpolarize single targets. Here we introduce a new pulse sequence-based approach that affords broadband excitation of SABRE hyperpolarization at high magnetic fields without having to tailor pulse sequence parameters to specific targets. This permits simultaneous hyperpolarization of multiple targets for the first time at high field and offers a direct approach to integration of high-field SABRE hyperpolarization into routine NMR applications, such as NMR-based metabonomics and biomolecular NMR.

Symmetry Constraints on Spin Order Transfer in Parahydrogen-Induced Polarization (PHIP)

It is well known that the association of parahydrogen (pH2) with an unsaturated molecule or a transient metalorganic complex can enhance the intensity of NMR signals; the effect is known as parahydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP). During recent decades, numerous methods were proposed for converting pH2-derived nuclear spin order to the observable magnetization of protons or other nuclei of interest, usually 13C or 15N. Here, we analyze the constraints imposed by the topological symmetry of the spin systems on the amplitude of transferred polarization. We find that in asymmetric systems, heteronuclei can be polarized to 100%. However, the amplitude drops to 75% in A2BX systems and further to 50% in A3B2X systems. The latter case is of primary importance for biological applications of PHIP using sidearm hydrogenation (PHIP-SAH). If the polarization is transferred to the same type of nuclei, i.e., 1H, symmetry constraints impose significant boundaries on the spin-order distribution. For AB, A2B, A3B, A2B2, AA’(AA’) systems, the maximum average polarization for each spin is 100%, 50%, 33.3%, 25%, and 0, respectively, (where A and B (or A’) came from pH2). Remarkably, if the polarization of all spins in a molecule is summed up, the total polarization grows asymptotically with ~1.27 and can exceed 2 in the absence of symmetry constraints (where is the number of spins). We also discuss the effect of dipole–dipole-induced pH2 spin-order distribution in heterogeneous catalysis or nematic liquid crystals. Practical examples from the literature illustrate our theoretical analysis.

Selective excitation of hydrogen doubles the yield and improves the robustness of parahydrogen-induced polarization of low-γ nuclei

We describe a new method for pulsed spin order transfer of parahydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP) that enables high polarization in incompletely ²H-labeled molecules by exciting only the desired protons in a frequency-selective manner. This way, the effect of selected J-couplings is suspended. Experimentally 1.25% ¹³C polarization were obtained for 1-¹³C-ethyl pyruvate and 50% pH₂ at 9.4 Tesla.

Characterization of protein-ligand interactions by SABRE

Nuclear spin hyperpolarization through signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE), the non-hydrogenative version of para-hydrogen induced polarization, is demonstrated to enhance sensitivity for the detection of biomacromolecular interactions. A target ligand for the enzyme trypsin includes the binding motif for the protein, and at a distant location a heterocyclic nitrogen atom for interacting with a SABRE polarization transfer catalyst. This molecule, 4-amidinopyridine, is hyperpolarized with 50% para-hydrogen to yield enhancement values ranging from −87 and −34 in the ortho and meta positions of the heterocyclic nitrogen, to −230 and −110, for different solution conditions. Ligand binding is identified by flow-NMR, in a two-step process that separately optimizes the polarization transfer in methanol while detecting the interaction in a predominantly aqueous medium. A single scan Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill (CPMG) experiment identifies binding by the change in R₂ relaxation rate. The SABRE hyperpolarization technique provides a cost effective means to enhance NMR of biological systems, for the identification of protein–ligand interactions and other applications.

Protein–ligand binding interactions are characterized by the para-H₂ based hyperpolarization technique SABRE and flow-NMR. Binding to the protein is identified by R₂ change of a ligand first interacting with the Ir polarization transfer catalyst.

Ultrafast Laplace NMR to study metal-ligand interactions in reversible polarisation transfer from parahydrogen

Laplace Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) can determine relaxation parameters and diffusion constants, giving valuable information about molecular structure and dynamics. Information about relaxation times (T1 and T2) and the self-diffusion coefficient (D) can be extracted from exponentially decaying NMR signals by performing a Laplace transform, which is a different approach to traditional NMR involving Fourier transform of a free induction decay. Ultrafast Laplace NMR uses spatial encoding to collect the entire data set in just a single scan which provides orders of magnitude time savings. In this work we use ultrafast Laplace NMR D-T2 correlation sequences to measure key relaxation (T2) and diffusion (D) parameters of methanolic solutions containing pyridine. For the first time we combine this technique with the hyperpolarisation technique Signal Amplification By Reversible Exchange (SABRE), which employs an iridium catalyst to reversibly transfer polarisation from parahydrogen, to boost the 1H NMR signals of pyridine by up to 300-fold. We demonstrate use of ultrafast Laplace NMR to monitor changes in pyridine T2 and D associated with ligation to the iridium SABRE catalyst and kinetic isotope exchange reactions. The combined 1440-fold reduction in experiment time and 300-fold 1H NMR signal enhancement allow the determination of pyridine D coefficients and T2 values at 25 mM concentrations in just 3 seconds using SABRE hyperpolarised ultrafast Laplace NMR.

Homonuclear J-Coupling Spectroscopy at Low Magnetic Fields using Spin-Lock Induced Crossing*

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy usually requires high magnetic fields to create spectral resolution among different proton species. Although proton signals can also be detected at low fields the spectrum exhibits a single line if J-coupling is stronger than chemical shift dispersion. In this work, we demonstrate that the spectra can nevertheless be acquired in this strong-coupling regime using a novel pulse sequence called spin-lock induced crossing (SLIC). This techniques probes energy level crossings induced by a weak spin-locking pulse and produces a unique J-coupling spectrum for most organic molecules. Unlike other forms of low-field J-coupling spectroscopy, our technique does not require the presence of heteronuclei and can be used for most compounds in their native state. We performed SLIC spectroscopy on a number of small molecules at 276 kHz and 20.8 MHZ and show that the simulated SLIC spectra agree well with measurements.

Synthetic Approaches for 15 N-Labeled Hyperpolarized Heterocyclic Molecular Imaging Agents for 15 N NMR Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange in Microtesla Magnetic Fields

NMR hyperpolarization techniques enhance nuclear spin polarization by several orders of magnitude resulting in corresponding sensitivity gains. This enormous sensitivity gain enables new applications ranging from studies of small molecules by using high-resolution NMR spectroscopy to real-time metabolic imaging in vivo. Several hyperpolarization techniques exist for hyperpolarization of a large repertoire of nuclear spins, although the 13 C and 15 N sites of biocompatible agents are the key targets due to their widespread use in biochemical pathways. Moreover, their long T1 allows hyperpolarized states to be retained for up to tens of minutes. Signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) is a low-cost and ultrafast hyperpolarization technique that has been shown to be versatile for the hyperpolarization of 15 N nuclei. Although large sensitivity gains are enabled by hyperpolarization, 15 N natural abundance is only ∼0.4 %, so isotopic labeling of the molecules to be hyperpolarized is required in order to take full advantage of the hyperpolarized state. Herein, we describe selected advances in the preparation of 15 N-labeled compounds with the primary emphasis on using these compounds for SABRE polarization in microtesla magnetic fields through spontaneous polarization transfer from parahydrogen. Also, these principles can certainly be applied for hyperpolarization of these emerging contrast agents using dynamic nuclear polarization and other techniques.

Synthesis and 15 N NMR Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange of [15 N]Dalfampridine at Microtesla Magnetic Fields

Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange (SABRE) technique enables nuclear spin hyperpolarization of wide range of compounds using parahydrogen. Here we present the synthetic approach to prepare ¹⁵ N-labeled [¹⁵ N]dalfampridine (4-amino[¹⁵ N]pyridine) utilized as a drug to reduce the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. The synthesized compound was hyperpolarized using SABRE at microtesla magnetic fields (SABRE-SHEATH technique) with up to 2.0 % ¹⁵ N polarization. The 7-hour-long activation of SABRE pre-catalyst [Ir(IMes)(COD)Cl] in the presence of [¹⁵ N]dalfampridine can be remedied by the use of pyridine co-ligand for catalyst activation while retaining the ¹⁵ N polarization levels of [¹⁵ N]dalfampridine. The effects of experimental conditions such as polarization transfer magnetic field, temperature, concentration, parahydrogen flow rate and pressure on ¹⁵ N polarization levels of free and equatorial catalyst-bound [¹⁵ N]dalfampridine were investigated. Moreover, we studied ¹⁵ N polarization build-up and decay at magnetic field of less than 0.04 μT as well as ¹⁵ N polarization decay at the Earth's magnetic field and at 1.4 T.

Benchtop NMR analysis of piperazine-based drugs hyperpolarised by SABRE

Piperazine-based drugs, such as N-benzylpiperazine (BZP), became attractive in the 2000s due to possessing effects similar to amphetamines. Herein, BZP, in addition to its pyridyl analogues, 2-, 3-, and 4-pyridylmethylpiperidine (2-PMP, 3-PMP, and 4-PMP respectively) was subjected to the hyperpolarisation technique Signal Amplification By Reversible Exchange (SABRE) in order to demonstrate the use of this technique to detect these piperazine-based drugs. Although BZP was not hyperpolarised via SABRE, 2-PMP, 3-PMP, and 4-PMP were, with the ortho- and meta-pyridyl protons of 4-PMP showing the largest enhancement of 313-fold and 267-fold, respectively, in a 1.4-T detection field, following polarisation transfer at Earth's magnetic field. In addition to the freebase, 4-PMP.3HCl was also appraised by SABRE and was found not to polarise, however, the addition of increasing equivalents of triethylamine (TEA) produced the freebase, with a maximum enhancement observed upon the addition of 3 equivalents of TEA. Further addition of TEA led to a reduction in the observed enhancement. SABRE was also employed to polarise 4-PMP.3HCl (~20% w/w) in a simulated tablet to demonstrate the forensic application of the technique (138-fold enhancement for the ortho-pyridyl protons). The amount of 4-PMP.3HCl present in the simulated tablet was quantified via NMR using D₂ O as a solvent and compared well to complimentary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry data. Exchanging D₂ O for CD₃ OD as the solvent utilised for analysis resulted in a significantly lower amount of 4-PMP.3HCl being determined, thus highlighting safeguarding issues linked to drug abuse in relation to determining the amount of active pharmaceutical ingredient present.

Analysis of 1-aminoisoquinoline using the signal amplification by reversible exchange hyperpolarization technique

Signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE), a parahydrogen-based hyperpolarization technique, is valuable in detecting low concentrations of chemical compounds, which facilitates the understanding of their functions at the molecular level as well as their applicability in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). SABRE of 1-aminoisoquinoline (1-AIQ) is significant because isoquinoline derivatives are the fundamental structures in compounds with notable biological activity and are basic organic building blocks. Through this study, we explain how SABRE is applied to hyperpolarize 1-AIQ for diverse solvent systems such as deuterated and non-deuterated solvents. We observed the amplification of individual protons of 1-AIQ at various magnetic fields. Further, we describe the polarization transfer mechanism of 1-AIQ compared to pyridine using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This hyperpolarization technique, including the polarization transfer mechanism investigation on 1-AIQ, will provide a firm basis for the future application of the hyperpolarization study on various bio-friendly materials.

Parahydrogen-Induced Hyperpolarization of Gases

Imaging of gases is a major challenge for any modality including MRI. NMR and MRI signals are directly proportional to the nuclear spin density and the degree of alignment of nuclear spins with applied static magnetic field, which is called nuclear spin polarization. The level of nuclear spin polarization is typically very low, i.e., one hundred thousandth of the potential maximum at 1.5 T and a physiologically relevant temperature. As a result, MRI typically focusses on imaging highly concentrated tissue water. Hyperpolarization methods transiently increase nuclear spin polarizations up to unity, yielding corresponding gains in MRI signal level of several orders of magnitude that enable the 3D imaging of dilute biomolecules including gases. Parahydrogen-induced polarization is a fast, highly scalable, and low-cost hyperpolarization technique. The focus of this Minireview is to highlight selected advances in the field of parahydrogen-induced polarization for the production of hyperpolarized compounds, which can be potentially employed as inhalable contrast agents.

Signal amplification by reversible exchange for COVID-19 antiviral drug candidates

Several drug candidates have been proposed and tested as the latest clinical treatment for coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19). Chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, ritonavir/lopinavir, and favipiravir are under trials for the treatment of this disease. The hyperpolarization technique has the ability to further provide a better understanding of the roles of these drugs at the molecular scale and in different applications in the field of nuclear magnetic resonance/magnetic resonance imaging. This technique may provide new opportunities in diagnosis and research of COVID-19. Signal amplification by reversible exchange-based hyperpolarization studies on large-sized drug candidates were carried out. We observed hyperpolarized proton signals from whole structures, due to the unprecedented long-distance polarization transfer by para-hydrogen. We also found that the optimal magnetic field for the maximum polarization transfer yield was dependent on the molecular structure. We can expect further research on the hyperpolarization of other important large molecules, isotope labeling, as well as polarization transfer on nuclei with a long spin relaxation time. A clinical perspective of these features on drug molecules can broaden the application of hyperpolarization techniques for therapeutic studies.

Remarkable Levels of 15N Polarization Delivered through SABRE into Unlabeled Pyridine, Pyrazine, or Metronidazole Enable Single Scan NMR Quantification at the mM Level

While many drugs and metabolites contain nitrogen, harnessing their diagnostic ¹⁵N NMR signature for their characterization is underutilized because of inherent detection difficulties. Here, we demonstrate how precise ultralow field signal amplification by reversible exchange (±0.2 mG) in conjunction parahydrogen and an iridium precatalyst of the form IrCl(COD)(NHC) with the coligand d₉-benzylamine allows the naturally abundant ¹⁵N NMR signatures of pyridine, pyrazine, metronidazole, and acetonitrile to be readily detected at 9.4 T in single NMR observations through >50% ¹⁵N polarization levels. These signals allow for rapid and precise reagent quantification via a response that varies linearly over the 2-70 mM concentration range.

Recent Advances in Chemical Biology Using Benzophenones and Diazirines as Radical Precursors

The use of light-activated chemical probes to study biological interactions was first discovered in the 1960s, and has since found many applications in studying diseases and gaining deeper insight into various cellular mechanisms involving protein-protein, protein-nucleic acid, protein-ligand (drug, probe), and protein-co-factor interactions, among others. This technique, often referred to as photoaffinity labelling, uses radical precursors that react almost instantaneously to yield spatial and temporal information about the nature of the interaction and the interacting partner(s). This review focuses on the recent advances in chemical biology in the use of benzophenones and diazirines, two of the most commonly known light-activatable radical precursors, with a focus on the last three years, and is intended to provide a solid understanding of their chemical and biological principles and their applications.

Continuous Radio Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation using Parahydrogen Induced Polarization (PHIP-RASER) at 14 Tesla

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is an intriguing quantum-mechanical effect that is used for routine medical diagnostics and chemical analysis alike. Numerous advancements have contributed to the success of the technique, including hyperpolarized contrast agents that enable real-time imaging of metabolism in vivo. Herein, we report the finding of an NMR radio amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (RASER), which continuously emits 1 H NMR signal for more than 10 min. Using parahydrogen induced hyperpolarization (PHIP) with 50 % para-hydrogen, we demonstrated the effect at 600 MHz but expect that it is functional across a wide range of frequencies, e.g. 101 -103  MHz. PHIP-RASER occurs spontaneously or can be triggered with a standard NMR excitation. Full chemical shift resolution was maintained, and a linewidth of 0.6 ppb was achieved. The effect was reproduced by simulations using a weakly coupled, two spin- 1 / 2 system. All devices used were standard issue, such that the effect can be reproduced by any NMR lab worldwide with access to liquid nitrogen for producing parahydrogen.

Coherent polarization transfer in chemically exchanging systems

Simulation of the interplay of coherent polarization transfer and chemical exchange described by superoperators and Monte Carlo simulations alike.

Hyperpolarization of Pyridyl Fentalogues by Signal Amplification By Reversible Exchange (SABRE)

Fentanyl, also known as 'jackpot', is a synthetic opiate that is 50-100 times more potent than morphine. Clandestine laboratories produce analogues of fentanyl, known as fentalogues to circumvent legislation regarding its production. Three pyridyl fentalogues were synthesized and then hyperpolarized by signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) to appraise the forensic potential of the technique. A maximum enhancement of -168-fold at 1.4 T was recorded for the ortho pyridyl 1H nuclei. Studies of the activation parameters for the three fentalogues revealed that the ratio of ligand loss trans to hydride and hydride loss in the complex [Ir(IMes)(L)3(H)2]+ (IMes=1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazole-2-ylidene) ranged from 0.52 to 1.83. The fentalogue possessing the ratio closest to unity produced the largest enhancement subsequent to performing SABRE at earth's magnetic field. It was possible to hyperpolarize a pyridyl fentalogue selectively from a matrix that consisted largely of heroin (97 : 3 heroin:fentalogue) to validate the use of SABRE as a forensic tool.

Multiple Quantum Coherences Hyperpolarized at Ultra-Low Fields

The development of hyperpolarization technologies enabled several yet exotic NMR applications at low and ultra-low fields (ULF), where without hyperpolarization even the detection of a signal from analytes is a challenge. Herein, we present a method for the simultaneous excitation and observation of homo- and heteronuclear multiple quantum coherences (from zero up to the third-order), which give an additional degree of freedom for ULF NMR experiments, where the chemical shift variation is negligible. The approach is based on heteronuclear correlated spectroscopy (COSY); its combination with a phase-cycling scheme allows the selective observation of multiple quantum coherences of different orders. The nonequilibrium spin state and multiple spin orders are generated by signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) and detected at ULF with a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID)-based NMR system.

15 N Hyperpolarization of Dalfampridine at Natural Abundance for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange (SABRE) is a promising method for NMR signal enhancement and production of hyperpolarized molecules. As nuclear spin relaxation times of heteronuclei are usually much longer than those of protons, SABRE-based hyperpolarization of heteronuclei in molecules is highly important in the context of biomedical applications. In this work, we demonstrate that the SLIC-SABRE technique can be successfully used to hyperpolarize 15 N nuclei in dalfampridine. The high polarization level of ca. 8 % achieved in this work made it possible to acquire 15 N MR images at natural abundance of the 15 N nuclei for the first time.