Multiaxial fields improve SABRE efficiency by preserving hydride order

Abstract: Signal Amplification By Reversible Exchange (SABRE) and the heteronuclear variant, X-SABRE, increase the sensitivity of magnetic resonance techniques using order derived from reversible binding of para-hydrogen. One current limitations of SABRE is suboptimal polarization transfer over the lifetime of the complex. Here, we demonstrate a multiaxial low-field pulse sequence which allows optimal polarization build-up during a low-field evolution pulse, followed by a high-field mixing pulse which permits proton decoupling along an orthogonal axis. This preserves the singlet character of the parahydrides while allowing exchange to replenish the ligands on the iridium catalyst. This strategy leads to a 2.5-fold improvement over continuous field SABRE SHEATH experimentally which was confirmed with numerical simulation.