Selective Binding and Quantitation of Calcium with a Cobalt-Based Magnetic Resonance Probe

We report a cobalt-based paramagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer (PARACEST) magnetic resonance (MR) probe that is able to selectively bind and quantitate the concentration of Ca2+ ions under physiological conditions. The parent LCo complex features CEST-active carboxamide groups and an uncoordinated crown ether moiety in close proximity to a high-spin pseudo-octahedral CoII center. Addition of Na+, Mg2+, K+, and Ca2+ leads to binding of these metal ions within the crown ether. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction and solid-state magnetic measurements reveal the presence of a cation-specific coordination environment and magnetic anisotropy of CoII, with axial zero-field splitting parameters for the Na+- and Ca2+-bound complexes differing by over 90%. Owing to these differences, solution-based measurements under physiological conditions indicate reversible binding of Na+ and Ca2+ to give well-separated CEST peaks at 69 and 80 ppm for [LCoNa]+ and [LCoCa]2+, respectively. Dissociation constants for di...