Molecules (Jul 2022)

Low-Molecular-Weight Fe(III) Complexes for MRI Contrast Agents

  • Shangjun Chen,
  • Lu An,
  • Shiping Yang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27144573
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 27, no. 14
p. 4573

Abstract

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Fe(III) complexes have again attracted much attention for application as MRI contrast agents in recent years due to their high thermodynamic stability, low long-term toxicity, and large relaxivity at a higher magnetic field. This mini-review covers the recent progress on low-molecular-weight Fe(III) complexes, which have been considered as one of the promising alternatives to clinically used Gd(III)-based contrast agents. Two kinds of complexes including mononuclear Fe(III) complexes and multinuclear Fe(III) complexes are summarized in sequence, with a specific highlight of the structural relationships between the complexes and their relaxivity and thermodynamic stability. In additional, the future perspectives for the design of low-molecular-weight Fe(III) complexes for MRI contrast agents are suggested.

Keywords