A comparison of through-space population transfers from half-integer spin quadrupolar nuclei to 1H using MQ-HETCOR and MQ-SPAM-HETCOR under fast MAS

Revealing the Bro̷nsted Acidic Nature of Penta-Coordinated Aluminum Species in Dealuminated Zeolite Y with Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy

The inevitable dealumination process of zeolite Y is closely related to ultrastabilization, enhanced Bro̷nsted acidity, and deactivation throughout its life cycle, producing complex aluminum and acidic hydroxyl species. Most investigations on dehydrated zeolites have focused on the Bro̷nsted acidity of tetra-coordinated Al (Al(IV)) and Lewis acidity associated with tricoordinated Al (Al(III)) sites, which has left the penta-coordinated Al (Al(V)) in dealuminated zeolites scarcely discussed. This is largely due to the oversimplified view of detectable Al(V) as an exclusively extra-framework species with Lewis acidity. Here we report the formation of Bro̷nsted acidic penta-coordinated Al species (Al(V)-BAS) in the dealumination process. Two-dimensional (2D) through-bond and multiquantum 1H-{27Al} correlation solid-state NMR experiments demonstrate the presence of a bridging Si-OH-Al(V) structure in dealuminated Y zeolites. Different from the conventional belief that water attack leads to the breaking of zeolite framework Al-O bonds in the initial stage of zeolite dealumination, the observed Al(V) as a dealumination intermediate is directly correlated with a BAS pair because of the direct dissociation of water on the framework tetrahedral aluminum (Al(IV)), thus bypassing the cleavage of Al-O bonds. 1H double-quantum solid-state NMR experiments and theoretical calculations provide further evidence for this mechanism, whereas pyridine adsorption experiments confirm stronger acidity of Al(V)-BASs than the traditional bridging hydroxyl groups associated with Al(IV). We were also able to detect the Al(V)-BAS site from dealuminated SSZ-13 zeolite with CHA topology, suggesting that its creation is not specific to the framework structure of zeolites.

High-resolution indirect detection of spin-3/2 quadrupolar nuclei in solids using multiple-quantum-filtered through-space D-HMQC experiments

Through-space heteronuclear correlation experiments under magic-angle spinning (MAS) conditions can provide unique insights into inter-atomic proximities. In particular, it has been shown that experiments based on two consecutive coherence transfers, 1H → I → 1H, like D-HMQC (dipolar-mediated heteronuclear multiple-quantum correlation), are usually more sensitive for the indirect detection via protons of spin-3/2 quadrupolar nuclei with low gyromagnetic ratio. Nevertheless, the resolution is often decreased by the second-order quadrupolar broadening along the indirect dimension. To circumvent this issue, we incorporate an MQMAS (multiple-quantum MAS) quadrupolar filter into the t1 evolution period of the D-HMQC sequence, which results in a novel pulse sequence called D-HMQC-MQ. The triple-quantum coherences evolving during this filter are excited and reconverted using cosine-modulated long-pulses synchronized with the sample rotation to avoid spinning sidebands in the indirect dimension. The desired coherence transfer pathways during this sequence are selected using two nested cogwheel phase cycles with 56 steps. This high-resolution heteronuclear correlation technique is demonstrated experimentally for the indirect detection via 1H of spin-3/2 isotopes, such as 11B, 23Na and 35Cl, in zinc borate hydrate, NaH2PO4 and l-histidine hydrochloride, respectively. We show that this experiment can be applied at high magnetic fields up to 28.2 T for protons subject to chemical shift anisotropies larger than 20 ppm, provided the MAS frequency is sufficiently stable since the D-HMQC-MQ experiment, like the parent D-HMQC, is sensitive to MAS fluctuations, which can produce t1-noise.

Advanced solid-state NMR spectroscopy and its applications in zeolite chemistry

Solid-state NMR spectroscopy (ssNMR) can provide details about the structure, host-guest/guest-guest interactions and dynamic behavior of materials at atomic length scales. A crucial use of ssNMR is for the characterization of zeolite catalysts that are extensively employed in industrial catalytic processes. This review aims to spotlight the recent advancements in ssNMR spectroscopy and its application to zeolite chemistry. We first review the current ssNMR methods and techniques that are relevant to characterize zeolite catalysts, including advanced multinuclear and multidimensional experiments, in situ NMR techniques and hyperpolarization methods. Of these, the methodology development on half-integer quadrupolar nuclei is emphasized, which represent about two-thirds of stable NMR-active nuclei and are widely present in catalytic materials. Subsequently, we introduce the recent progress in understanding zeolite chemistry with the aid of these ssNMR methods and techniques, with a specific focus on the investigation of zeolite framework structures, zeolite crystallization mechanisms, surface active/acidic sites, host-guest/guest-guest interactions, and catalytic reaction mechanisms.

On the applicability of cosine-modulated pulses for high-resolution solid-state NMR of quadrupolar nuclei with spin > 3/2

In MQMAS-based high-resolution solid-state NMR experiments of half-integer spin quadrupolar nuclei, the high radiofrequency (RF) field requirement for the MQ excitation and conversion steps with two hard-pulses is often a sensitivity limiting factor in many practical applications. Recently, the use of two cosine-modulated (cos) low-power (lp) pulses, lasting one-rotor period each, was successfully introduced for efficient MQ excitation and conversion of spin-3/2 nuclei with a reduced RF amplitude. In this study, we extend our previous investigations of spin-3/2 nuclei to systems with higher spin values and discuss the applicability of coslp-MQ excitation and conversion in MQMAS and MQ-HETCOR experiments under slow and fast spinning conditions. For the numerical simulations and experiments we used a moderate magnetic field of 14.1 T. Two spin-5/2 nuclei (⁸⁵Rb and ²⁷Al) are mainly employed with a large variety of C_Q values, but we show that the practical set up is also available for higher spin values, such as spin-9/2 with ⁹³Nb in Cs₄Nb₁₁O₃₀. We demonstrate for nuclei with spin value larger than 3/2 a preferential use of coslp-MQ acquisition for low-gamma nuclei and/or large C_Q values with a much reduced RF-field with respect to that of hard-pulses used with conventional methods.

Comparison of through-space homonuclear correlations between quadrupolar nuclei in solids

Various two-dimensional (2D) homonuclear correlation experiments have been proposed to observe proximities between identical half-integer spin quadrupolar nuclei in solids. These experiments select either the single- or double-quantum coherences during the indirect evolution period, t₁. We compare here the efficiency and the robustness of the 2D double-quantum to single-quantum (DQ-SQ) and SQ-SQ homonuclear correlations for two half-integer spin quadrupolar isotopes subject to small chemical shift anisotropy (CSA): ¹¹B with a nuclear spin I = 3/2 and ²⁷Al with I = 5/2. Such a comparison is performed using experiments on two model samples: Li₂B₄O₇ for ¹¹B and AlPO₄-14 for ²⁷Al. For both isotopes, the DQ-SQ homonuclear correlations are recommended since they allow probing the proximities between nuclei with close or identical frequencies. In the case of small or moderate isotropic chemical shift differences (e.g. ¹¹B) the [SR2₂¹] or [BR2₂¹] bracketed DQ-SQ recoupling schemes are recommended; whereas it is the BR2₂¹ un-bracketed one otherwise (e.g. ²⁷Al).

Practical considerations on the use of low RF-fields and cosine modulation in high-resolution NMR of I = 3/2 spin quadrupolar nuclei in solids

Despite its ease in experimental set up, the low sensitivity of MQMAS experiments is often a limiting factor in many practical applications. This is mainly due to the large radiofrequency (RF) field requirement of the two short hard-pulses often used for the optimum MQ excitation and conversion steps. Very recently, two novel MQMAS experiments have been proposed for I = 3/2 nuclei, namely lp-MQMAS and coslp-MQMAS, enabling an efficient MQ excitation/conversion with a reduced RF requirement, by utilizing two long pulses lasting one rotor period each, with or without cosine modulation. In this study, we focus on the practical considerations of these new methods and discuss their pros and cons to elucidate their appropriate use under both moderate and fast spinning conditions. Using four I = 3/2 (⁸⁷Rb, ⁷¹Ga, ³⁵Cl and ²³Na) nuclei at a moderate magnetic field (B₀ = 14.1 T), we show the superior use of these experiments, especially for samples with large C_Q values and/or low-gamma nuclei. Compared to all other existing sequences, the coslp-MQMAS method with initial WURST signal enhancement is the most robust, efficient and resolved high-resolution 2D method for spin 3/2 nuclei. Furthermore, using {²³Na}-¹H spin systems, we demonstrate the sensitivity advantage of the WURST coslp-MQ-HETCOR acquisition upon ¹H detection and fast MAS conditions.

Accelerating the acquisition of high-resolution quadrupolar MQ/ST-HETCOR 2D spectra under fast MAS via 1H detection and through-space population transfers

Recently, we established an experimental setup protocol to perform the population transfer from half-integer quadrupolar spin to ¹H nuclei under fast MAS in the context of MQ-HETCOR experiments. In this article, we further develop the high-resolution 2D HETCOR methods by ST-based approaches, making use of the sensitivity advantage of STMAS over its MQMAS counterpart. In a similar manner to the previous work, which utilized CP and RINEPT for the population transfer, we also demonstrate the experimental setup protocol for PRESTO. Using {²³Na}-¹H and {²⁷Al}-¹H spin systems of powder samples, we compare a series of MQ/ST-HETCOR 2D spectra to discuss the pros and cons of the distinct MQ/ST-based approaches for spin 3/2 and 5/2 nuclei, respectively. We also incorporate two experimental tricks to reduce the experimental time of such long 2D experiments, the Optimized Rotor-Synchronization (ORS) and the Non-Uniform Sampling (NUS), in the context of high-resolution spectra of half-integer quadrupolar spin nuclei.