Characterization of two forms of cadmium phosphide by magic-angle spinning 31P NMR

Probing the Surface Structure of Semiconductor Nanoparticles by DNP SENS with Dielectric Support Materials

Surface characterization is crucial for understanding how the atomic-level structure affects the chemical and photophysical properties of semiconducting nanoparticles (NPs). Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) is potentially a powerful technique for the characterization of the surface of NPs, but it is hindered by poor sensitivity. Dynamic nuclear polarization surface enhanced NMR spectroscopy (DNP SENS) has previously been demonstrated to enhance the sensitivity of surface-selective solid-state NMR experiments by 1-2 orders of magnitude. Established sample preparations for DNP SENS experiments on NPs require the dilution of the NPs on mesoporous silica. Using hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) to disperse the NPs doubles DNP enhancements and absolute sensitivity in comparison to standard protocols with mesoporous silica. Alternatively, precipitating the NPs as powders, mixing them with h-BN, and then impregnating the powdered mixture with radical solution leads to further 4-fold sensitivity enhancements by increasing the concentration of NPs in the final sample. This modified procedure provides a factor of 9 improvement in NMR sensitivity in comparison to previously established DNP SENS procedures, enabling challenging homonuclear and heteronuclear 2D NMR experiments on CdS, Si, and Cd₃P₂ NPs. These experiments allow NMR signals from the surface, subsurface, and core sites to be observed and assigned. For example, we demonstrate the acquisition of DNP-enhanced 2D ¹¹³Cd-¹¹³Cd correlation NMR experiments on CdS NPs and natural isotropic abundance 2D ¹³C-²⁹Si HETCOR of functionalized Si NPs. These experiments provide a critical understanding of NP surface structures.

Identifying short surface ligands on metal phosphide quantum dots

The control and understanding of the chemical and physical properties of quantum dots (QDs) demands detailed surface characterization. However, probing the immediate interface between the inorganic core and the ligands is still a major challenge. Here we show that using cross-polarization magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR, unprecedented information can be obtained on the surface ligands of Cd3P2 and InP QDs. The resonances of fragments which are usually challenging to detect like methylene or methyl near the surface, can be observed with our approach. Moreover, ligands such as hydroxyl and ethoxide which have so far never been detected at the surface can be unambiguously identified. This NMR approach is versatile, applicable to any phosphides and highly sensitive since it remains effective for identifying quantities as low as a few percent of surface atoms.

Characterization of local environments in crystalline borophosphates using single and double resonance NMR

(11)B and (31)P magic-angle spinning as well as (11)B{(31)P} and (31)P{(11)B} rotational echo double resonance (REDOR) NMR have been applied to characterize the local environments in the crystalline borophosphates K(3)[BP(3)O(9)(OH)(3)], NH(4)[ZnBP(2)O(8)] and Rb(3)[B(2)P(3)O(11)(OH)(2)]. Dipolar second moment values extracted from the REDOR curves at short evolution times (DeltaS/S(0) < or = 0.2) are in reasonable agreement with those calculated from the internuclear distances in the corresponding crystal structures. In particular, the method is found to be useful for distinguishing between boron and phosphorus local environments with different numbers of B-O-P connectivities, making REDOR a well-suited tool for medium-range order investigations in glasses.

1H/31P distance determination by solid state NMR in multiple-spin systems

The results of two techniques of dipolar recoupling, REDOR and CPMAS, are compared in the case of a coupled multiple-spin system. A fundamentally different behavior is observed for these two techniques. In REDOR, the terms associated with each interaction S-I(k) commute with each other and no truncation takes place so that each addition of spin I(k) causes a splitting with its dipolar frequency. In CPMAS, the flip-flop terms of the dipolar Hamiltonian do not commute with the dominant term from the strongly coupled spin pair so that the weak coupling terms from the neighboring spin I(k) are effectively truncated by the dominant pair interaction. Spin dynamics calculations are in agreement with the experimental data in a cubane shaped cluster.

19F/29Si rotational-echo double-resonance and heteronuclear spin counting under fast magic-angle spinning in fluoride-containing octadecasil

19F/29Si rotational-echo double-resonance (REDOR) and theta-REDOR NMR techniques have been applied under fast magic-angle spinning to a powder sample of fluoride-containing octadecasil. Efficient dipolar recoupling was observed and the effect of finite pulse lengths was found to be negligible using standard radiofrequency field strengths. Moreover, the determined internuclear distance of the 19F-29Si spin pairs formed by the silicons in the D4R units (T-1 site) and the fluoride anions is in very good agreement with previous REDOR and Hartmann-Hahn cross-polarization measurements. Numerical simulation of the REDOR dephasing curves at both the T-1 and T-2 sites considering all fluoride anions in the infinite solid lattice clearly confirm the X-ray crystal structure of octadecasil. Heteronuclear spin-counting theta-REDOR experiments are found to be very useful to obtain direct insight into the local network of dipolar interactions. Indeed, while 19F-29Si pair-like behavior is confirmed at the T-1 site, multiple dipolar interactions are clearly evidenced at the T-2 site.

Combined solid state NMR and X-ray diffraction investigation of the local structure of the five-coordinate silicon in fluoride-containing as-synthesized STF zeolite

The local structure of the [SiO(4/2)F]- unit in fluoride-containing as-synthesized STF zeolite has been experimentally determined by a combination of solid-state NMR and microcrystal X-ray diffraction to be very close to trigonal bipyramidal. Because the fluoride ions are disordered over two sites, the resulting local structure of the [SiO(4/2)F]- unit from a conventional XRD refinement is an average between tetrahedral SiO(4/2) and five-coordinate [[SiO(4/2)F]-, giving an apparent F-Si distance longer than expected. The correct F-Si distance was determined by slow spinning MAS and fast spinning (19)F/(29)Si CP and REDOR solid-state NMR experiments and found to be between 1.72 and 1.79 A. In light of this, the X-ray structure was re-refined, including the disorder at Si3. The resulting local structure of the [SiO(4/2)F]- unit was very close to trigonal bipyramidal with a F-Si distance of 1.744 (6) A, in agreement with the NMR results and the prediction of Density Functional Theory calculations. In addition, further evidence for the existence of a covalent F-Si bond is provided by a (19)F-->(29)Si refocused INEPT experiment. The resonance for the five-coordinate species at -147.5 ppm in the (29)Si spectrum is a doublet due to the (19)F/(29)Si J-coupling of 165 Hz. The peaks in this doublet have remarkably different effective chemical shift anisotropies due to the interplay of the CSA, dipolar coupling, and J-coupling tensors. The distortions from tetrahedral geometry of the neighboring silicon atoms to the five-coordinate Si3 atom are manifested in increased delta(aniso) values. This information, along with F-Si distances measured by (19)F-->(29)Si CP experiments, makes it possible to assign half of the (29)Si resonances to unique tetrahedral sites. As well as determining the local geometry of the [SiO(4/2)F]- unit, the work presented here demonstrates the complementarity of the solid-state NMR and X-ray diffraction techniques and the advantages of using them together.

Dephasing of spin echoes by multiple heteronuclear dipolar interactions in rotational echo double resonance NMR experiments

The application of rotational echo double resonance (REDOR) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for accurate distance measurements has thus far been largely restricted to isolated heteronuclear two-spin systems. In the present paper, the informational content of REDOR curves is explored for systems characterized by multi-spin interactions. To this end, numerical REDOR simulations are presented for cases in which single observe spins S are dipolarly coupled to groups of spins I in distinct geometries. To develop the utility of REDOR for characterizing dipolar couplings in unknown and/or ill-defined geometries, the validity ranges and systematic errors of certain analytical approximations are studied. In the limit of short dipolar evolution times where 0 < deltaS/S0 < or = 0.2 to 0.3, the REDOR difference signal intensity increases approximately proportional to the square of the dipolar evolution time. Here, the curvature depends simply on the second moment M2 characterizing the overall strength of the heterodipolar coupling, irrespective of specific molecular geometries. Fitting experimental REDOR data in this manner produces slight systematic underestimates of M2. However, these errors tend to be counterbalanced by additional systematic errors made by neglecting weak couplings to more remote spins and distribution effects caused by disorder. Based on these findings, the results suggest a convenient method of obtaining site-resolved second moment information in disordered materials.

A comparison of NMR distance determinations in the solid state by cross polarization, REDOR, and TEDOR techniques

Solid-state NMR distance determinations using Hartmann-Hahn cross polarization between spin-1/2 nuclei (19F/29Si) are reported. 19F –> 29Si polarization transfer for the T-1 silicon site in the clathrasil octadecasil shows an oscillatory behaviour as a function of the contact time. These oscillations were observed for non-spinning powder samples and also for different spinning speeds at the various MAS sideband matching conditions. Three analytical functions that allow efficient nonlinear least-square regression analyses of the experimental data to determine the internuclear distances for non-spinning powder samples as well as at the ±1 and ±2 MAS sideband matching conditions are reported. Using these functions, a 19F-29Si distance of 2.53 ± 0.04 Å was determined for the T-1 silicon in octadecasil from fitting of the oscillatory behaviour. This distance is in good agreement with that known from the X-ray structure and the previous 19F/29Si REDOR and TEDOR distance measurements. The advantages and limits of the different dipolar-based NMR techniques for heteronuclear distance determinations are examined and discussed.Key words: cross polarization (CP), NMR distance measurements, octadecasil, 19F-29Si distances, REDOR, TEDOR.

Analysis of the REDOR signal and inversion

An inversion of the REDOR signal to recover the dipolar couplings has been recently proposed [K. T. Mueller et al., Chem. Phys. Lett. 242, 535 (1995)]: The corresponding integral transform was performed by tabulation of the kernel followed by numerical integration. After explicit determination of the inverse REDOR kernel by the Mellin transform method, we propose an alternative inversion method based on Fourier transforms. Representation of the inverse REDOR kernel by its asymptotic expansion reveals that the inverse REDOR operator is essentially a weighted sum of a cosine transform and of its derivative. Consequently, known properties of Fourier transforms can easily be transposed to the REDOR inversion, allowing for a precise discussion of the value of the method. Moreover, the first term of the asymptotic expansion leading to a derivative of a cosine transform, the REDOR inversion is found to be extremely sensitive to noise, thus considerably reducing the useful part of the theoretical dipolar window. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Structural constraints on the complex of elongation factor Tu with magnesium guanosine diphosphate from rotational-echo double-resonance NMR

Rotational-echo, double-resonance (REDOR) NMR measurements of 31P-15N dipolar couplings have been made on a complex of Mg guanosine diphosphate (MgGDP) with uniformly 15N-labeled elongation factor Tu. The complex was embedded in a lyophilized buffer glass. The observed 15N REDOR dephasing by 31P was accounted for quantitatively by distances from 15N of Gly23 and Lys24 to P alpha and P beta of MgGDP as determined by X-ray crystallography of MgGDP complex formed using an elongation factor Tu that is missing a 15 residue loop in the vicinity of the binding site.

High-resolution NMR of biological solids

Solid-state NMR experiments have recently provided a number of biochemical insights: motionally averaged 2H lineshapes have shown that the motion of a backbone loop protecting a protein binding site is not ligand gated; isotropic 13C chemical shifts of freeze-quenched enzyme-ligand intermediates have revealed mechanistic details of reaction pathways; multiple heteronuclear distance determinations have characterized the binding-site geometry of a 46 kDa noncrystalline enzyme complex; and homonuclear recoupling experiments have established that insoluble amyloid fibrils form a pleated beta sheet.