Abstract: There is described a method for the preparation of a hyperpolarised agent, wherein said agent comprises at least one —N?, —O? or —S? moiety (optionally protonated) and a secondary binding site; said method comprising: (i) preparing a fluid containing a polarisation transfer precatalyst and parahydrogen; (ii) introducing a co-ligand to interact with the transfer precatalyst to form a polarisation transfer catalyst; (iii) applying a magnetic field or radio frequency excitation to (ii), such that hyperpolarisation is transferred from parahydrogen to a target molecule; (iv) introducing a target molecule containing at least at least one —N?, —O? or —S? moiety, in conjunction with a secondary binding to form a hyperpolarised agent; wherein the co-ligand is selected from the group consisting of one or more of a sulfoxide, a thioester, a phosphine, an amine, CO, an isonitrile and a nitrogen heterocycle.

Abstract: There is described a method for the preparation of an aqueous magnetic resonance imaging medium, said method comprising the steps of: •(i) preparing a multiphasic solvent system comprising an aqueous component and a non-aqueous component, said solvent comprising a target substrate and a SABRE hyperpolarisation transfer catalyst; •(ii) adding H2 or parahydrogen gas; •(iii) agitating the solvent system to form an emulsion thereby transferring the spin order from the hyperpolarisation transfer catalyst to the target substrate; •(v) adding a solvent phase-separation promoter; and •(vi) separating the non-aqueous component and the aqueous component wherein the aqueous component contains the hyperpolarised target substrate and provides the aqueous magnetic resonance imaging medium.

Abstract: There is described a method for the preparation of a hyperpolarised target molecule, wherein said molecule comprises at least one —OH, —NH or —SH moiety, via proton exchange from a polarisable molecule, said method comprising the steps of: (i) preparing a fluid containing a transfer catalyst; parahydrogen; and a polarisable molecule containing at least one exchangeable proton, such as, an —OH, —NH or —SH moiety; (ii) applying a magnetic field or radio frequency excitation such that hyperpolarisation is transferred from parahydrogen to the polarisable molecule when bound to the magnetisation transfer catalyst; (iii) separately or simultaneously introducing a target molecule, wherein said target molecule contains at least one —OH, —NH or —SH exchangeable proton, enabling hyperpolarisation transfer via proton exchange with the polarisable molecule.