13C−13C Spin−Spin Coupling Tensors in Benzene As Determined Experimentally by Liquid Crystal NMR and Theoretically by ab Initio Calculations

An efficient method for generating property-energy consistent basis sets. New pecJ-n (n = 1, 2) basis sets for high-quality calculations of indirect nuclear spin-spin coupling constants involving 1H, 13C, 15N, and 19F nuclei

This paper presents a new method of generating property-energy consistent (PEC) basis sets that can be applied to any arbitrary molecular property. The PEC method generates a basis set that is optimized for the molecular property under interest, providing the least possible total molecular energy. The main algorithm of the PEC approach involves Monte Carlo simulations to generate random exponents in the predetermined range. In this work, the PEC method is introduced in the example of generation of new pecJ-n (n = 1, 2) basis sets suited for high-quality correlated calculations of indirect nuclear spin-spin coupling constants involving the most popular NMR-active nuclei: 1H, 13C, 15N, and 19F.

STRONG INADEQUATE, an experiment for detection of small J(C,C) couplings in symmetrical molecules

A new version of the two-dimensional INADEQUATE experiment was designed for detection of small couplings between equivalent carbon atoms separated in the molecule by several bonds, where other techniques fail due to rich line splitting and mutual peak cancellation in many molecules. As the proposed method is suitable for detection of couplings in strongly coupled systems in general, we propose the name STRONG INADEQUATE in the paper. Similar to other methods for detection of couplings between equivalent carbons, the STRONG INADEQUATE experiment utilizes one-bond carbon-proton coupling for creation of the effective chemical shift differences. The STRONG INADEQUATE experiment works superbly for ⁿ J_CC , where n ≥ 3. Then the F1 pattern is reduced to a simple antiphase doublet with ⁿ J_CC separation, and this pattern is also preserved when a symmetrical HC···C'H' system is coupled to other protons. Even in the measurement of ² J_CC couplings, the STRONG INADEQUATE experiment generates a much simpler pattern than the original pulse sequences for measurement of couplings between equivalent carbons.

Proton detection of carbon-carbon couplings in symmetrical molecules: Analytical explanation, SYMONA pulse sequence

The approach to the measurement of one-bond indirect spin-spin coupling constants between equivalent nuclei was revisited. The analytical formulas for development of the density matrix of strongly coupled symmetrical HC-C'H' spin systems were derived and the optimal duration of polarization delay in the original 2QHMBC pulse sequence is discussed. Based on the analytical formulas a new version of a robust indirect detection experiment, called SYMONA (SYmmetrical MOlecules Natural Abundance double-quantum experiment), was proposed for carbon-carbon coupling constants detection in symmetrical molecules. Additionally, application of the SYMONA experiment to more complicated spin systems than isolated HC-C'H' is discussed.

Magnetic field-induced effects on NMR properties

In principle, all the NMR observables, spin-spin coupling J, nuclear shielding σ and quadrupole coupling q, are magnetic field-dependent. The field dependence may be classified into two categories: direct and indirect (apparent) dependence. The former arises from the magnetic field-induced deformation of the molecular electronic cloud, while the latter stems from a slightly anisotropic orientation distribution of molecules, due to the interaction between the anisotropy of the molecular susceptibility tensor and the external magnetic field. Here we use 1,3,5-D₃-benzene as a model system to investigate the indirect effect on the one-bond ¹H-¹³C and ²H-¹³C spin-spin couplings (J couplings) and the ²H quadrupole coupling. Experiments carried out at four magnetic fields (4.7, 9.4, 14.1, and 18.8 T) show that the indirect effect is significant already at the magnetic fields commonly used in NMR spectrometers. A joint fit of the data extracted at the different field strengths provides experimental results for the susceptibility anisotropy, ²H quadrupole coupling constant and the related asymmetry parameter, as well as the one-bond CH and CD coupling constants extrapolated to vanishing field strength. The field-induced contributions are found to exceed the commonly assumed error margins of the latter. The data also indicate a primary isotope effect on the one-bond CH coupling constant. There is a tendency to further increase the magnetic field of NMR spectrometers, which leads to more pronounced indirect contributions and eventually significant direct effects as well.

Small carbon-carbon couplings in monosubstituted benzenes--their signs and magnitudes determined by HCSE method

Signed values of all intra-ring (2,3,4) J(C,C) couplings in nine monosubstituted benzenes (C6H5-X where X = F, Cl, Br, CH3, OCH3, Si(CH3)3, C≡N, NO, NO2) are experimentally determined as well as nine couplings to substituent carbons. It is confirmed that while all the vicinal intra-ring (3)J(C,C) are positive and all geminal (2)J(C2,C4) are negative, both signs are found for geminal (2)J(C1,C3) couplings. All the determined signs agree with those already predicted by theoretical calculations.

¹³C relaxation experiments for aromatic side chains employing longitudinal- and transverse-relaxation optimized NMR spectroscopy

Aromatic side chains are prevalent in protein binding sites, perform functional roles in enzymatic catalysis, and form an integral part of the hydrophobic core of proteins. Thus, it is of great interest to probe the conformational dynamics of aromatic side chains and its response to biologically relevant events. Indeed, measurements of (13)C relaxation rates in aromatic moieties have a long history in biomolecular NMR, primarily in the context of samples without isotope enrichment that avoid complications due to the strong coupling between neighboring (13)C spins present in uniformly enriched proteins. Recently established protocols for specific (13)C labeling of aromatic side chains enable measurement of (13)C relaxation that can be analyzed in a straightforward manner. Here we present longitudinal- and transverse-relaxation optimized pulse sequences for measuring R (1), R (2), and {(1)H}-(13)C NOE in specifically (13)C-labeled aromatic side chains. The optimized R (1) and R (2) experiments offer an increase in sensitivity of up to 35 % for medium-sized proteins, and increasingly greater gains are expected with increasing molecular weight and higher static magnetic field strengths. Our results highlight the importance of controlling the magnetizations of water and aliphatic protons during the relaxation period in order to obtain accurate relaxation rate measurements and achieve full sensitivity enhancement. We further demonstrate that potential complications due to residual two-bond (13)C-(13)C scalar couplings or dipolar interactions with neighboring (1)H spins do not significantly affect the experiments. The approach presented here should serve as a valuable complement to methods developed for other types of protein side chains.

Experimental assessment of the vibration-reorientation contribution to liquid crystal NMR dipolar couplings: the case of tetramethylallene dissolved in a nematic mesophase

In the present paper, the peculiar orientational behavior, studied by liquid crystal NMR (LXNMR) spectroscopy, of the D(2d) symmetry quasi-spherical molecule of tetramethylallene (TMA) dissolved in the nematic solvent I52 is exploited to attempt a quantitative experimental assessment of the correlation between molecular vibrations and overall rotations in weakly oriented molecules. The analysis of the very small D(HH) and (1)D((13)C-H) dipolar couplings, available from the natural abundance LXNMR spectra of TMA at different temperatures, allows for a derivation leading (by making a few approximations) to the quantification of the vibration-reorientation (also called nonrigid) contribution affecting the observed direct (1)D((13)C-H) dipolar coupling. The obtained results show that, under the particular conditions of the studied system (very weak orientational ordering of a highly symmetric molecule), this contribution is particularly important, in order to reproduce the whole value of the "observed" dipolar coupling. This issue is discussed and commented on at length in the work, also, by making reference to the analogy with perfectly symmetric molecules (such as methane and analogues) dissolved in liquid crystalline phases.

An ab initio study of 15N-11B spin-spin coupling constants for borazine and selected derivatives

Ab initio equation-of-motion coupled-cluster singles and doubles (EOM-CCSD) calculations have been performed to investigate substituent effects on coupling constants for borazine and selected substituted borazines. For molecules in which F atoms are not bonded to adjacent atoms in the ring, F substitution increases the one-bond (11)B-(15)N coupling constants involving the atom at which substitution occurs but leaves the remaining one-bond B-N coupling constants essentially unchanged. For these molecules, the magnitudes of one-bond B-N coupling constants are only slightly dependent on the number of F atoms present. Fluorine substitution at adjacent B and N atoms in the borazine ring further increases the one-bond B-N coupling constant involving the substituted atoms and has the same effect on the other one-bond coupling constants as observed for corresponding molecules in which substitution occurs at alternate sites. In contrast to the effect of F substitution, substitution of Li at either N or B decreases one-bond B-N coupling constants relative to borazine. The effects of F and Li substitution on one-bond B-N coupling constants for borazine are similar to F and Li substitution effects on (13)C-(13)C coupling constants for benzene.

Theory and computation of nuclear magnetic resonance parameters

The art of quantum chemical electronic structure calculation has over the last 15 years reached a point where systematic computational studies of magnetic response properties have become a routine procedure for molecular systems. One of their most prominent areas of application are the spectral parameters of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, due to the immense importance of this experimental method in many scientific disciplines. This article attempts to give an overview on the theory and state-of-the-art of the practical computations in the field, in terms of the size of systems that can be treated, the accuracy that can be expected, and the various factors that would influence the agreement of even the most accurate imaginable electronic structure calculation with experiment. These factors include relativistic effects, thermal effects, as well as solvation/environmental influences, where my group has been active. The dependence of the NMR spectra on external magnetic and optical fields is also briefly touched on.

Detailed analysis of coupling constants and isotope effects in NMR spectra of isotopomers of (12)C(68) (13)C(2)

A preliminary study of the long-range (i.e. two-bond or longer) (13)C--(13)C coupling constants in natural abundance C(70) shows, consistent with recent theoretical calculations by Peralta et al. that the largest long-range J(CC) values for the polar and equatorial sites are clearly smaller than the largest long-range J(CC) values for the other three sites. The unusually large size of the (2)J(CC) couplings between inequivalent carbons in a nonpolar pentagon in C(70) has no analog among (2)J(CC) data reported for planar aromatic compounds. No long-range J(CC) values appear to have been reported for any curved aromatic compounds. In addition, much more precise (1)J(CC) values were obtained for C(70) than was possible about 15 years ago. Comparing the chemical shifts for each of the five isotopomers of C(70) containing only one (13)C nucleus and the frequencies of the satellites for each of the four isotopomers containing two adjacent and inequivalent (13)C nuclei indicates that replacing (12)C with (13)C shields the adjacent (13)C nucleus by 15 to 23 ppb, consistent with the limited (1)Delta(13)C((13/12)C) isotope effect data available on a few small aromatic molecules. Such measurements become possible with natural abundance C(70) only by using a (13)C cryoprobe and a high-field spectrometer (700 MHz). The additional information that could be obtained from a spectrum obtained under ultrahigh resolution conditions is discussed. Secure identification of the singlets arising from the four (12)C(68) (13)C(2) isotopomers with equivalent adjacent (13)C nuclei is necessary to allow the largest long-range J(CC) values to be precisely determined. The presence of numerous isotopomers containing two or more (13)C nuclei would present a great challenge in interpreting the various signals in a spectrum obtained under ultrahigh resolution conditions.

A theoretical study of multinuclear coupling constants in pyrazoles

The 243 coupling constants of eight N-R-pyrazoles [R=H, CH3, C6H5, COCH3, NH2, NO2, SO2CF3, Si(CH3)3] have been calculated and compared with 131 experimental values. The agreement is good and can be used to estimate new couplings. The whole collection has been statistically analyzed.

NMR Spectroscopy Investigation of the Cooperative Nature of the Internal Rotational Motions in Acetophenone

The proton NMR spectrum of the doubly enriched acetophenone-carbonyl,methyl-13C2 isotopomer dissolved in a liquid-crystalline solvent (LXNMR) was analyzed to yield a data set of 19 dipolar couplings. The presence of so many couplings, and in particular the dependence of some of them on the acetyl carbons enabled the investigation of the structure of the acetyl moiety and of possible cooperative motions about the aryl-carbonyl and carbonyl-methyl bonds. Methodological aspects, and approximations relating to the application of the vibrational correction procedure in the presence of large-amplitude torsional motions, are discussed. Results show that it is possible to discriminate between a continuous and a discrete conformer distribution about the angle phi(1) but not among a few proposed continuous shapes of U(iso)({phi}). In this study, the use of dipolar couplings with a non-negligible contribution from the indirect spin-spin coupling tensor J, (D(C8C9) in our case), for structural determination is extended from rigid to flexible molecules. The 1/2J(aniso)(C8C9) contribution was derived theoretically using the density functional theory linear response (DFT-LR) first-principles calculation of the J(C8C9) spin-spin coupling tensor.

Substituent effects on scalar J(13C, 13C) couplings in pyrimidines. An experimental and DFT study

One- two- and three 13C, 13C (n = 1, 2, 3) scalar couplings, (n)J(C,C) in a set of pyrimidine derivatives were studied both experimentally at natural abundance and theoretically by their DFT calculation of all four contributions. Trends of non-contact terms are discussed and substituent effects are rationalized, comparing some of them with the corresponding values in benzene and pyridine. Although substituent effects on non-contact terms are relatively important, the whole trend is dominated by the Fermi contact term. According to the current literature, substituent effects on 1J(C,C) couplings in benzene derivatives are dominated by the inductive effect, which, apparently, is also the case in nitrogen heteroaromatic compounds. However, some differences observed in this work for substituent effects on 1J(C,C) couplings in pyrimidine derivatives suggest that in the latter type of compounds substituent effects can be affected by the orientation of the ring nitrogen lone pairs.

X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopic, and solid-state NMR studies of the group 14 metal-(tetracarbonyl)cobalt complexes Ph3MCo(CO)4 (M = Si, Sn, Pb)

Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies illustrate that the three title compounds are isomorphous, belonging to the triclinic space group P[Formula: see text], with slightly distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry about cobalt. The solid-state 29Si, 119Sn, and 207Pb cross-polarization magic angle spinning (CP MAS) NMR spectra are presented. The indirect spin–spin coupling constant (J), quadrupolar–dipolar shift (d), direct dipolar coupling constant (D' ), anisotropy in spin–spin coupling (ΔJ), and the chemical shift tensor were extracted. A plot of the reduced coupling constant vs. s-electron densities at the nucleus indicates that the Fermi contact term may be dominant for the tin and lead complexes; however, the large ΔJ for all complexes indicate that there are also significant anisotropic terms. Trends in the Raman scattering spectra are also discussed.Key words: 29Si, 119Sn, and 207Pb CP MAS NMR, tetracarbonyl cobalt, spin–spin coupling, chemical shift tensor, quadrupole coupling, Fermi contact, cobalt–group 14.

Multiple quantum and high-resolution NMR, molecular structure, and order parameters of partially oriented ortho and meta dimethyl-, dichloro-, and chloromethylbenzenes codissolved in nematic liquid crystals

We develop a strategy for analyzing complex nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of several solutes codissolved in liquid-crystal phases. Spectral parameters of solutes m- or o-xylene were estimated by analyzing 2D multiple-quantum NMR spectra using a modified version of a least-squares fitting routine which adjusts chemical shifts, order parameters, structural parameters, and/or dipolar couplings independently. These estimates were used to facilitate analysis of the high-resolution spectra which contain resonances from many solutes. Calculated spectra of m- or o-xylene were subtracted from the experimental high-resolution spectra leaving resonances from the other solutes readily visible. Accurate spectral parameters of all codissolved solutes were determined from the high-resolution spectra. Order parameters and structural parameters (including vibrationally corrected parameters) of m- and o-xylene, m- and o-chlorotoluene, and m- and o-dichlorobenzene were calculated from the dipolar couplings.

NMR and molecular structure of partially oriented mono and para methyl- and chlorobenzenes dissolved in nematic liquid crystals

Spectral parameters, order parameters, and structural parameters, including the vibrationally corrected ralpha structure of the partially oriented solutes p-xylene, p-chlorotoluene, p-dichlorobenzene, toluene, and chlorobenzene dissolved in three liquid crystal mixtures, are reported. For samples containing the three solutes p-xylene, p-dichlorobenzene, and 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene, multiple quantum (MQ) nuclear magnetic resonance was used to aid in the analysis of the complex high-resolution spectra of the p-xylene. The high-resolution spectra of 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene and p-dichlorobenzene were easily identified and analyzed once the calculated p-xylene spectrum was subtracted from the experimental one. The methyl groups of p-xylene, p-chlorotoluene, and toluene have similar geometries when the structure is determined from dipolar couplings corrected for harmonic vibrations.Key words: nematic liquid crystal, NMR, molecular structure, order parameter.