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Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Hyperpolarized 13C Metabolic Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Imaging
Published on: December 30, 2016
New hyperpolarized contrast agents for 13C-MRI from para-hydrogenation of oligooxyethylenic alkynes
Francesca Reineri1, Alessandra Viale, Giovanbattista Giovenzana
1Dipartimento di Chimica IFM, Università di Torino, Via P. Giuria 7, 10125 Torino, Italy.
Abstract:
Two alkyne derivatives, which contain one and two oligooxyethylenic chains respectively, showed to be good substrates for para-hydrogenation reactions, yielding the corresponding hyperpolarized alkenes in good yields. A suitable theory has been developed to account for the observed results, fully explaining the different para-H 2 induced effects observed upon the para-hydrogenation of symmetrically and asymmetrically substituted alkynes in ALTADENA and PASADENA modes. The oligooxyethylenic substituent provides good water solubility to the para-hydrogenated symmetrical derivative. (13)C-MR in vitro images of the latter derivative were obtained both in acetone and in water solutions (130 mM), using the ALTADENA procedure and after application of the field cycling procedure which allows acquisition of an in-phase (13)C carbonyl resonance. The finding that the hydrogenated product is water-soluble in contrast to the parent alkyne which is not allows for the pursuit of a fast phase-transfer separation from the organic solvent, the unreacted substrate, and the catalyst to obtain a "ready-to-use" water solution suitable for further in vivo MRI applications.
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