Poly(ethylene-glycol)-based fluorinated esters: a readily available entry for novel 19F-MRI agents

Readily available, low cost, hydrosoluble poly(ethylene-glycol) derivatives of 2-(trifluoromethyl)-3,3,3-trifluoro-propanoic acid were easily synthesized and their properties as MRI agents are preliminarily investigated. Two novel polymers, of 2356 Da and 756 Da, respectively, both showing a single 19F signal at NMR in deuterated chloroform and D2O were fully characterized; both compounds were shown to be soluble in water. However when experiments of in vitro MR imaging were conducted a clear imaging was obtained only with the sample of 756 MW, pointing at the importance of the fluorine content of the carrier.