Effects of Magnetic Field Cycle on the Polarization Transfer from Parahydrogen to Heteronuclei through Long-Range J-Couplings.

Hyperpolarization of (13)C carboxylate signals of metabolically relevant molecules, such as acetate and pyruvate, was recently obtained by means of ParaHydrogen Induced Polarization by Side Arm Hydrogenation (PHIP-SAH). This method relies on functionalization of the carboxylic acid with an unsaturated alcohol (side arm), hydrogenation of the unsaturated alcohol using parahydrogen, and polarization transfer to the target (13)C signal. In this case, parahydrogen protons are added three to four bonds away from the target (13)C nucleus, while biologically relevant molecules had been hyperpolarized, using parahydrogen, through hydrogenation of an unsaturated bond adjacent to the target (13)C signal. The herein reported results show that the same polarization level can be obtained on the (13)C carboxylate signal of an ester by means of addition of parahydrogen to the acidic or to the alcoholic moiety and successive application of magnetic field cycle (MFC). Experimental results are supported by calculations that allow one to predict that, upon accurate control of magnetic field strength and speed of the passages, more than 20% polarization can be achieved on the (13)C-carboxylate resonance of the esters by means of side arm hydrogenation and MFC.

ParaHydrogen Induced Polarization of 13C carboxylate resonance in acetate and pyruvate.

The advent of nuclear spins hyperpolarization techniques represents a breakthrough in the field of medical diagnoses by magnetic resonance imaging. Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is the most widely used method, and hyperpolarized metabolites such as [1-(13)C]-pyruvate are shown to report on status of tumours. Parahydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP) is a chemistry-based technique, easier to handle and much less expensive in respect to DNP, with significantly shorter polarization times. Its main limitation is the availability of unsaturated precursors for the target substrates; for instance, acetate and pyruvate cannot be obtained by direct incorporation of the parahydrogen molecule. Herein we report a method that allows us to achieve hyperpolarization in this kind of molecule by means of a tailored precursor containing a hydrogenable functionality that, after polarization transfer to the target (13)C moiety, is cleaved to obtain the metabolite of interest. The reported procedure can be extended to a number of other biologically relevant substrates.

15N magnetic resonance hyperpolarization via the reaction of parahydrogen with 15N-propargylcholine.

(15)N-Propargylcholine has been synthesized and hydrogenated with para-H(2). Through the application of a field cycling procedure, parahydrogen spin order is transferred to the (15)N resonance. Among the different isomers formed upon hydrogenation of (15)N-propargylcholine, only the nontransposed derivative contributes to the observed N-15 enhanced emission signal. The parahydrogen-induced polarization factor is about 3000. The precise identification of the isomer responsible for the observed (15)N enhancement has been attained through a retro-INEPT ((15)N-(1)H) experiment. T(1) of the hyperpolarized (15)N resonance has been estimated to be ca. 150 s, i.e., similar to that reported for the parent propargylcholine (144 s). Experimental results are accompanied by theoretical calculations that stress the role of scalar coupling constants (J(HN) and J(HH)) and of the field dependence in the formation of the observed (15)N polarized signal. Insights into the good cellular uptake of the compound have been gained.

Heck reaction on protected 3-alkyl-1,2-dien-1-ols: an approach to substituted 3-alkenylindoles, 2-alkoxy-3-alkylidene-2,3-dihydrobenzofuranes and -indolidines.

A phosphine-free annulation reaction has been exploited for the preparation of substituted 3-alkenylindoles, 2-alkoxy-3-alkylidene-2,3-dihydrobenzofuranes and -indolidines in good to excellent yields. This has been done by reaction of protected 3-alkyl-1,2-dienols with o-iodophenols or protected o-iodoanilines. Two different heterocyclic skeletons were obtained, depending on the electron-donating properties of the heteroatom involved in the annulation process.