The effect of a phosphodiester linking group on albumin binding, blood half-life, and relaxivity of intravascular diethylenetriaminepentaacetato aquo gadolinium(III) MRI contrast agents.

Amphiphilic gadolinium complexes were investigated as potential magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. A series of complexes was synthesized in order to study the effect of hydrophilic phosphodiester groups on albumin binding, relaxivity, and blood half-life in rats. Thus, compound 11a, a diethylenetriaminepentaacetato aquo gadolinium(III) (Gd-DTPA) derivative with an octyl substituent, was synthesized and compared to 5b, the analogous octyl derivative containing a phosphodiester linkage between the gadolinium chelate and the alkyl chain.