Hybrid assemblies based on a gadolinium-containing polyoxometalate and a cationic polymer with spermine side chains for enhanced MRI contrast agents.

Supramolecular assembly: Spherical and stable hybrid assemblies based on a cationic polymer with spermine side chains and an anionic Gd(3+)-containing polyoxometalate cluster (GdW) are prepared by electrostatic interaction. The T1-weighted MRI performance of GdW is enhanced about three times in the assemblies; meanwhile, the assemblies show good biocompatibility, which enables them to be promising candidates for MRI contrast agents.