Exploiting Copper Redox for ¹⁹F Magnetic Resonance-Based Detection of Cellular Hypoxia

We report a pair of fluorinated, redox-active copper complexes for potential use as ¹⁹F MRI contrast agents for detecting cellular hypoxia. Trifluorinated Cu­(II) ATSM-F₃ displays the appropriate redox potential for selective accumulation in hypoxic cells and a completely quenched ¹⁹F NMR signal that is “turned on” following reduction to Cu­(I). Incubation of cancer cells with CuATSM-F₃ resulted in a selective detection of ¹⁹F signal in cells grown under hypoxic conditions.