Abstract: Luminescent materials and the use of such materials in anti-counterfeiting, inventory, photovoltaic, and other applications are described herein. In one embodiment, a luminescent material has the formula: [AaBbXxX?x?X?x?][dopants], wherein A is selected from at least one of elements of Group IA; B is selected from at least one of elements of Group VA, elements of Group IB, elements of Group IIB, elements of Group IIIB, elements of Group IVB, and elements of Group VB; X, X?, and X? are independently selected from at least one of elements of Group VIIB; the dopants include electron acceptors and electron donors; a is in the range of 1 to 9; b is in the range of 1 to 5; and x, x?, and x? have a sum in the range of 1 to 9. The luminescent material exhibits photoluminescence having: (a) a quantum efficiency of at least 20 percent; (b) a spectral width no greater than 100 nm at Full Width at Half Maximum; and (c) a peak emission wavelength in the near infrared range.

Abstract: Luminescent materials and the use of such materials in anti-counterfeiting, inventory, photovoltaic, and other applications are described herein. In one embodiment, a luminescent material has the formula: [AaBbXxX?x?X?x?][dopants], wherein A is selected from at least one of elements of Group IA; B is selected from at least one of elements of Group VA, elements of Group IB, elements of Group IIB, elements of Group IIIB, elements of Group IVB, and elements of Group VB; X, X?, and X? are independently selected from at least one of elements of Group VIIB; the dopants include electron acceptors and electron donors; a is in the range of 1 to 9; b is in the range of 1 to 5; and x, x?, and x? have a sum in the range of 1 to 9. The luminescent material exhibits photoluminescence having: (a) a quantum efficiency of at least 20 percent; (b) a spectral width no greater than 100 nm at Full Width at Half Maximum; and (c) a peak emission wavelength in the near infrared range.

Abstract: Aziridines may be subjeted to a cyclooligomerization reaction to produce polyazacycloalkane compounds useful for example in the preparation of chelating agents for use in diagnostic imaging contrast agents. N-benzyl-aziridine in particular is useful as it can be cyclotetramerized and debenzylated to yield cyclen, a key intermediate in chelating agent preparation. The invention provides a particularly attractive route to production of N-benzyl and other N-arylmethyl aziridines of formula (I) where each R1 is independently hydrogen or a group AR and Ar is an optionally substituted phenyl group. The process comprises reacting a purified N-arylmethylethanolamine-sulphonate sulphonate ester with a base. N-aryimethyl-ethanolamine sulphonate ester of the formula R′NHCH2CH2OSO3H, wherein the N-arylmethyl group R′ is an N-(bisarylmethyl) or N-(triarylmethyl) group, as intermediates.

Abstract: Aziridines may be subjected to a cyclooligomerization reaction to produce polyazacycloalkane compounds useful for example in the preparation of chelating agents for use in diagnostic imaging contrast agents. N-benzyl-aziridine in particular is useful as it can be cyclotetramerized and debenzylated to yield cyclen, a key intermediate in chelating agent preparation. The invention provides a particularly attractive route to production of N-benzyl and other N-arylmethyl aziridines of formula (I) where each R.sub.1 is independently hydrogen or a group AR and Ar is an optionally substituted phenyl group. The process comprises reacting a purified N-arylmethylethanolaminesulphonate ester with a base. N-arylmethyl-ethanolamine sulphonate ester of the formula R'NHCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OSO.sub.3 H, wherein the N-arylmethyl group R' is an N-(bisarylmethyl) or N-(triarylmethyl) group, as intermediates. In a further aspect, the invention provides compounds of formula (II) ##STR1## where Ar and R.sub.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a liposomal agent comprising liposomes having bound to a membrane thereof a chelated diagnostically or therapeutically effective metal ion. The chelating agent binding the metal ion has a macrocyclic chelant moiety with, attached to a single ring atom thereof, a lipophilic membrane associating moiety.

Abstract: The invention provides a blood pool contrast agent having an overall molecular weight of at least 10KD comprising a macrostructure which has bound thereto a plurality of opsonization inhibiting moieties and carries chelated ionic paramagnetic or heavy metal moieties, the chelant groups for said chelated moieties being macrocyclic where said macrostructure is liposomal.

Abstract: The invention provides amphiphilic compounds of the formula (I) Ch--(--L--Ar--(--AH).sub.n).sub.m (where Ch is a hydrophilic chelant moiety or a salt or a chelate thereof); each L is an optionally oxo substituted C.sub.2-25 -alkylene linker wherein at least one CH.sub.2 moiety is replaced by a group X.sup.1 (e.g. L may include a chain sequence, an X.sup.1 (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 X.sup.1).sub.u (where u is a positive integer) such as X.sup.1 (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 X.sup.1).sub.u, CH.sub.2 X.sup.1 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 X.sup.1 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 X.sup.1, CH.sub.2 X.sup.1 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 X.sup.1 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 X.sup.1 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 X.sup.1, etc.), and wherein L is optionally interrupted by a metabolizable group M but with the provisos that the terminus of L adjacent Ch is CH.sub.2 and that the terminus of L adjacent Ar is X.sup.1 or a CH.sub.2 group adjacent or separated by one CH.sub.2 from a group X.sup.1 (thus, for example the L--Ar linkage may be L.sup.1 --X.sup.1 --Ar, L.sup.1 --CH.sub.2 --Ar, L.sup.1 --X.sup.

Abstract: The present invention relates to metabolically labile esters, and to contrast media for X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging comprising these esters. The esters have formula (I): ##STR1## in which R.sup.3 is asteroid residue. The esters contain at least one iodine atom and/or heavy metal atom. The compound are metabolizable to products which are soluble in body fluids and are physiologically acceptable.

Abstract: Macrocyclic chelating agents, optionally possessing more than one macrocyclic ring having at least two peptide linkages within the macrocyclic skeleton. The chelating agents are used for the preparation of paramagnetic metal chelates for use as MRI contrast agents.