Hyperpolarization of (YCl3)-Y-89 and three Y-89-complexes was achieved by dynamic nuclear polarization of aqueous samples. The long T (1)s of Y-89 make its application as an NMR imaging probe extremely promising. In addition, the wide chemical shift range for various chelates of Y-89 means that agents sensitive to their biological/chemical milieu could serve as exquisite sensors of important biological events.