Probing the Flexibility of Internal Rotation in Silylated Phenols with the NMR Scalar Spin−Spin Coupling Constants

The Ad-MD method to calculate NMR shift including effects due to conformational dynamics: The 31 P NMR shift in DNA

A method for averaging of NMR parameters by molecular dynamics (MD) has been derived from the method of statistical averaging in MD snapshots, benchmarked and applied to structurally dynamic interpretation of the ³¹ P NMR shift (δ_31P ) in DNA phosphates. The method employs adiabatic dependence of an NMR parameter on selected geometric parameter(s) that is weighted by MD-calculated probability distribution(s) for the geometric parameter(s) (Ad-MD method). The usage of Ad-MD for polymers is computationally convenient when one pre-calculated structural dependence of an NMR parameter is employed for all chemically equivalent units differing only in dynamic behavior. The Ad-MD method is benchmarked against the statistical averaging method for δ_31P in the model phosphates featuring distinctively different structures and dynamic behavior. The applicability of Ad-MD is illustrated by calculating ³¹ P NMR spectra in the Dickerson-Drew DNA dodecamer. δ_31P was calculated with the B3LYP/IGLO-III/PCM(water) and the probability distributions for the torsion angles adjacent to the phosphorus atoms in the DNA phosphates were calculated using the OL15 force field.

Rovibrational and Temperature Effects in Theoretical Studies of NMR Parameters

The demand for high precision calculations of NMR shieldings (or their related values, chemical shifts δ) and spin–spin coupling constants facilitating and supporting detailed interpretations of NMR spectra increases hand in hand with the development of computational techniques and hardware resources. Highly sophisticated calculations including even relativistic effects are nowadays possible for these properties. However, NMR parameters depend not only on molecular structure and environment but also on molecular flexibility and temperature and the apparent success of theoretical predictions for molecular equilibrium geometries creates a demand for zero-point vibrational and temperature corrections. In this chapter we describe briefly the theory behind rovibrational corrections and review then some important contributions to this field.

SQ-SQ experiment for determination of relative signs of small nJ(29Si,13C) couplings in a wide variety of silicon compounds

A modification of double quantum-zero quantum (DQ-ZQ) experiment termed single-quantum-single-quantum (SQ-SQ) experiment is proposed for the determination of relative signs and magnitudes of coupling constants. The modification replaces the multiple-quantum evolution period by two synchronously incremented single-quantum periods. Similarly to DQ-ZQ experiment, the sequence requires only two coupling constants that share one nucleus, the one to be measured and a reference one. This allows application to a larger variety of molecular fragments than traditional 2D sequences producing E.COSY or TROSY pattern. The SQ-SQ experiment eliminates the effects of some other couplings during t1, thereby simplifying the 2D pattern and increasing the signal intensity in comparison with DQ-ZQ experiment. The presented sequence is particularly designed for the determination of silicon-carbon coupling constants across several bonds at natural abundance using silicon-hydrogen couplings as the sign reference. The signs of silicon-carbon couplings across two and three bonds in dimethyl(phenoxy)silane which cannot be detected by traditional methods and which have not yet been determined are established by the SQ-SQ method here: 2J(Si,C) = +2.2 Hz and 3J(Si,C) = -1.7 Hz.