19F NMR: a valuable tool for studying biological events

Abstract

With the spectacular advancement of NMR techniques and the flourishing of fluorine chemistry allowing the synthesis of various fluorinated molecules, ¹⁹F NMR represents a compelling option for studying myriad biological events ranging from the structure and function of biomolecules, enzymatic mechanisms, and metabolic pathways, through to drug screening and discovery as well as medical imaging. In this tutorial review, we aim to provide readers with a brief overview of the recent applications of ¹⁹F NMR in various areas relating to biological and biomedical research, together with a brief introduction of specific hardware improvements permitting the practical implementation of ¹⁹F NMR.