Pulse sequence symmetries in the nuclear magnetic resonance of spinning solids: Application to heteronuclear decoupling

Abstract

We develop the average Hamiltonian theory of a class of symmetrical radio-frequency pulse sequences in the NMR of rotating solids. Theorems are presented which allow one to predict the elimination of many average Hamiltonian terms, without detailed calculation. These results are applied to the problem of heteronuclear decoupling in the presence of rapid magic angle spinning. We present sequences which minimize the number of heteronuclear terms at the same time as recoupling the homonuclear interactions of the irradiated spins. The performance of the new sequences is tested on C13 labeled calcium formate. Experimental measurements of double-quantum H1 excitation indicate a relationship between good heteronuclear decoupling of the observed spin species and efficient recoupling of the irradiated spin species. The heteronuclear decoupling performance of the new sequences is significantly better than that obtained with an unmodulated radio-frequency field. The decoupling performance is improved further by breaking the pulse sequence symmetry in a controlled fashion.