Biochemical applications of chemically induced nuclear polarization in phenols, peptides, catecholamines and related molecules.

A photochemical method for producing proton nuclear polarization in phenolic biogenic molecules such as tyrosyl polypeptides and phenolic amines is described. The nuclear polarization is due to the reversible hydrogen-atom transfer from the phenolic hydroxy group to triplet photoexcited xanthene-dye molecules. Typical results obtained with insulin, catecholamines and other phenolic molecules are treated in detail.