Utilising SABRE hyperpolarisation to enhance 13C2 Pyruvate

Hyperpolarisation methods as signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) can enhance nuclear magnetic resonance signals several orders of magnitude higher than those derived under Boltzmann conditions. SABRE is able to deliver the spin polarisation via the scalar coupling of the iridium catalyst at low magnetic field. SABRE techniques have been used for the hyperpolarisation of pyruvate, the substrate applied in many human MRI studies. In this thesis, we tried to optimise the 13 C 2 Pyruvate signal gains delivered through SABRE varying NHC ligands (IMes, SIMes, IPr, SIPr) present in the sample, pyruvate’s concentrations and the temperature at which the measurements were obtained on the level of delivered hyperpolarisation. We present the study of the effects of changing of these conditions and ligands on the production of the active [Ir(H) 2 (η 2 -pyruvate)(DMSO)(NHC)] catalyst to deliver a rationale for achieving high pyruvate signal. These approaches allow us to achieve signal enhancements of [1,2- 3C]Pyruvate, 341-fold for [1-13C] and 301-fold for [2-13C] of sodium pyruvate-1,2-[13C2]. Overall, in this the work we have shown that SABRE hyperpolarisation has the potential to aid clinical diagnosis of cancer via pyruvate metabolism.