Sensitive Biological Detection with a Soluble and Stable Polymeric Paramagnetic Nanocluster

We describe the design, synthesis, and biological characterization of manganese oxocluster-based single molecule magnets (SMMs). We demonstrate that polymeric micellar nanoparticles can serve as a carrier and help to stabilize delicate SMM molecules from breaking down easily and thus prevent their property loss. Concentrating thousands of Mn-clusters per micelle provided a high ionic and per-particle relaxivity allowing sensitive MR imaging in vivo. This reports one of the earliest examples of in vivo imaging of a rationally designed polymeric micelle that features SMM.