Transition metal complexes of cyclam with two 2,2,2-trifluoroethylphosphinate pendant arms as probes for 19F magnetic resonance imaging

A new cyclam-based ligand bearing two methylene(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)phosphinate pendant arms was synthesized and its coordination behaviour towards selected divalent transition metal ions [Co(ii), Ni(ii), Cu(ii), Zn(ii)] was studied. The ligand was found to be very selective for the Cu(ii) ion according to the common Williams–Irving trend. Complexes with all the studied metal ions were structurally characterized. The Cu(ii) ion forms two isomeric complexes; the pentacoordinated isomer pc-[Cu(L)] is the kinetic product and the octahedral trans-O,O′-[Cu(L)] isomer is the final (thermodynamic) product of the complexation reaction. Other studied metal ions form octahedral cis-O,O′-[M(L)] complexes. The complexes with paramagnetic metal ions showed a significant shortening of 19F NMR longitudinal relaxation times (T1) to the millisecond range [Ni(ii) and Cu(ii) complexes] or tens of milliseconds [Co(ii) complex] at the temperature and magnetic field relevant for 19F magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Such a short T1 results from a short distance between the paramagnetic metal ion and the fluorine atoms (∼6.1–6.4 Å). The complexes show high kinetic inertness towards acid-assisted dissociation; in particular, the trans-O,O′-[Cu(L)] complex was found to be extremely inert with a dissociation half-time of 2.8 h in 1 M HCl at 90 °C. Together with the short relaxation time, it potentially enables in vitro/in vivo utilization of the complexes as efficient contrast agents for 19F MRI.