Quadrupolar Carr-Purcell Meiboom-Gill Research Articles

Revealing the Structures in Short- and Middle-Order of Lanthanum-Doped Al2O3–NaPO3 Glasses by Solid State NMR Spectroscopy

Glasses in the xLa2O3-yAl2O3-(100 – x – y)NaPO3 system were synthesized by a melt quenching method, where 0 ≤ x ≤ 7.5, y = 0 and x = 5, 5 ≤ y ≤ 15. The structures were characterized by advanced multinuclei solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (SSNMR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). 31P MAS NMR spectroscopy indicates that the glass Q2 structure is depolymerized by La2O3 and Al2O3, forming multiple QxAln and QyLan phosphorus species, where n, x, and y represent the number of P–O–P, P–O–Al, and P–O–La bonds, respectively. The various phosphorus species were identified by the J-coupling effect based one and two-dimensional (1D and 2D) experiments such as 2D J-resolved, 1D refocused INADEQUATE and 1D 31P{27Al} J-coupling heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence (HMQC). La is used as a mimic to simulate the local structure of the luminescent rare earth ions. 139La wideband uniform rate smooth truncation quadrupolar Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill (WURST-QCPMG) spectra show that the coordination number of La is dominantly nine, and some La atoms transfer to lower coordination with the addition of Al2O3. La, Al, and Na atoms exclusively bond to phosphorus tetrahedron PO4, which is evidenced by the 31P/23Na, 31P/27Al double resonance NMR, XPS, and the calculation of charge balance. However, the Al/P and La/P connection methods are much different based on the calculation of charge balance and bond number. Finally, comprehensive and novel local structure models are developed for these rare earth-doped aluminum phosphate glasses.

Recent developments in deuterium solid-state NMR for the detection of slow motions in proteins

Slow timescale dynamics in proteins are essential for a variety of biological functions spanning ligand binding, enzymatic catalysis, protein folding and misfolding regulations, as well as protein–protein and protein–nucleic acid interactions. In this review, we focus on the experimental and theoretical developments of 2H static NMR methods applicable for studies of microsecond to millisecond motional modes in proteins, particularly rotating frame relaxation dispersion (R1ρ), quadrupolar Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill (QCPMG) relaxation dispersion, and quadrupolar chemical exchange saturation transfer NMR experiments (Q-CEST). With applications chosen from amyloid-β fibrils, we show the complementarity of these approaches for elucidating the complexities of conformational ensembles in disordered domains in the non-crystalline solid state, with the employment of selective deuterium labels. Combined with recent advances in relaxation dispersion backbone measurements for 15N/13C/1H nuclei, these techniques provide powerful tools for studies of biologically relevant timescale dynamics in disordered domains in the solid state.

Deuteron Solid-State NMR Relaxation Measurements Reveal Two Distinct Conformational Exchange Processes in the Disordered N-Terminal Domain of Amyloid-β Fibrils.

We employed deuterium solid-state NMR techniques under static conditions to discern the details of the μs-ms timescale motions in the flexible N-terminal subdomain of Aβ1-40 amyloid fibrils, which spans residues 1-16. In particular, we utilized a rotating frame (R1ρ ) and the newly developed time domain quadrupolar Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (QCPMG) relaxation measurements at the selectively deuterated side chains of A2, H6, and G9. The two experiments are complementary in terms of probing somewhat different timescales of motions, governed by the tensor parameters and the sampling window of the magnetization decay curves. The results indicated two mobile "free" states of the N-terminal domain undergoing global diffusive motions, with isotropic diffusion coefficients of 0.7-1 ⋅ 108 and 0.3-3 ⋅ 106 ad2 s-1 . The free states are also involved in the conformational exchange with a single bound state, in which the diffusive motions are quenched, likely due to transient interactions with the structured hydrophobic core. The conformational exchange rate constants are 2-3 ⋅ 105 s-1 and 2-3 ⋅ 104 s-1 for the fast and slow diffusion free states, respectively.

Proton detection of MAS solid-state NMR spectra of half-integer quadrupolar nuclei

Fast magic angle spinning (MAS) and proton detection has found widespread application to enhance the sensitivity of solid-state NMR experiments with spin-1/2 nuclei such as 13C, 15N and 29Si, however, this approach is not yet routinely applied to half-integer quadrupolar nuclei. Here we have investigated the feasibility of using fast MAS and proton detection to enhance the sensitivity of solid-state NMR experiments with half-integer quadrupolar nuclei. The previously described dipolar hetero-nuclear multiple quantum correlation (D-HMQC) and dipolar refocused insensitive nuclei enhanced by polarization transfer (D-RINEPT) pulse sequences were used for proton detection of half-integer quadrupolar nuclei. Quantitative comparisons of signal-to-noise ratios and the sensitivity of proton detected D-HMQC and D-RINEPT and direct detection spin echo and quadrupolar Carr-Purcell Meiboom-Gill (QCPMG) solid-state NMR spectra, demonstrate that one dimensional proton detected experiments can provide sensitivity similar to or exceeding that obtainable with direct detection QCPMG experiments. 2D D-HMQC and D-RINEPT experiments provide less sensitivity than QCPMG experiments but proton detected 2D hetero-nuclear correlation solid-state NMR spectra of half-integer nuclei can still be acquired in about the same time as a 1D spin echo spectrum. Notably, the rarely used D-RINEPT pulse sequence is found to provide similar, or better sensitivity than D-HMQC in some cases. Proton detected D-RINEPT benefits from the short longitudinal relaxation times (T1) normally associated with half-integer quadrupolar nuclei, it can be combined with existing signal enhancement methods for quadrupolar nuclei, and t1-noise in the indirect dimension can easily be removed by pre-saturation of the 1H nuclei. The rapid acquisition of proton detected 2D HETCOR solid-state NMR spectra of a range of half-integer quadrupolar nuclei such as 17O, 27Al, 35Cl and 71Ga is demonstrated.

87Sr, 119Sn, 127I Single and {1H/19F}‐Double Resonance Solid‐State NMR Experiments: Application to Inorganic Materials and Nanobuilding Blocks

Abstract87Sr, 127I and 119Sn wideline NMR spectroscopy was successfully applied to inorganic and hybrid materials: (i) Sr derivatives of medicinal interest (Sr‐malonate, Sr‐pyrophosphates, mixed Ca,Sr‐fluoroapatites); (ii) apatitic structures acting as host matrices for iodine; and (iii) Sn‐derived oxo‐clusters which can be used as inorganic nanobuilding blocks. The BRAIN (BRoadband Adiabatic INversion) CP (Cross Polarization) approach (by Schurko et al.) was applied to a non integer quadrupolar nucleus (87Sr, I=9/2). The sequence was used in combination with WURST (Wideband Uniform‐Rate Smooth‐Truncation) QCPMG (Quadrupolar Carr‐Purcell Meiboom‐Gill) for optimal sensitivity. We showed that 127I WURST QCPMG experiments were sufficiently sensitive to allow rapid characterization of the incorporation of iodide (I−) anions in lead vanadate/phosphate apatites, and that 127I acted as a sensitive probe for the description of local disorder. 1H/19F → 119Sn BRAIN CP was successfully applied to the detailed characterization of tin oxo‐clusters, using 1H and 19F as spin baths. We demonstrated that BRAIN CP can be effectively used as a tool of spectral editing leading to the estimation of spatial proximities between 119Sn and 1H/19F nuclei.

Lithium Doping of MgAl2O4 and ZnAl2O4 Investigated by High-Resolution Solid State NMR

Lithium-doped spinels could function as solid state electrolytes in batteries in which all components have the spinel structure. In this study we prepared lithium-doped MgAl2O4 and ZnAl2O4. Advanced solid state 7Li, 25Mg, and 27Al NMR have been used to investigate the structure of these spinels and the structural changes that take place therein upon lithium doping. The spinel structure is well retained, although the amount of tetrahedral aluminum increases with increased lithium content. Using MQMAS experiments, the presence of two tetrahedral sites is discovered in both doped and undoped spinels. It is shown that the spinel structure of MgAl2O4 is heterogeneous, which leads to distributions in chemical shift and quadrupolar parameters. The heterogeneity is also shown in 25Mg spectra obtained with the quadrupolar Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill (QCPMG) and sideband selective Double Frequency Sweep-QCPMG (ssDFS-QCPMG) pulse sequences. Lithium mobility is measured using static variable temperature 7Li NMR experim...

Hydration-Modulated Collective Dynamics of Membrane Lipids are Revealed by Solid-State 2H NMR Relaxation

Investigations of model membranes aim to understand the atomistic interactions that can explain bulk membrane lipid properties in relation to key biological functions [1]. Solid-state 2H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy uniquely provides such information by probing structure and dynamics of membranes [2,3]. Here we examine the effect of water on the liquid-crystalline properties of amphiphilic membrane lipids using NMR relaxometry. We performed NMR longitudinal (R1Z), transverse quadrupolar-echo decay (R2QE) and quadrupolar Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (QCPMG) relaxation (R2CP) experiments on DMPC-d54 bilayers, to study membrane-lipid dynamics over time scales ranging from 10−9s to 10−3s. The plots of R1Z rates versus squared segmental order parameters (SCD2) follow an empirical square-law behavior showing the emergence of collective lipid dynamics [4]. Such a functional behavior characterizes 3-D order-director fluctuations due to the onset of membrane elasticity over atomistic dimensions [4]. The transverse relaxation rates also show similar results at low hydration. Yet at high hydration, a further enhancement versus the functional square-law plot is evident for segments deeper in the bilayers. Additional contributions from slower dynamics involving water-mediated membrane deformation are evident over mesoscopic length scales on the order of bilayer thickness. The slow dynamics at high hydration must be a consequence of modulation of elastic properties of lipid bilayer. Analysis of the QCPMG frequency dispersions as function of hydration and temperature reveals quantitative information on viscoelastic properties of the liquid-crystalline media. Similar studies in the presence of proteins and peptides give insights into optimized lipid hydration for biomembrane function. [1] A. Leftin et al. (2014) BJ. (in press). [2] K. J. Mallikarjuniah et al. (2011) BJ 100 98-107. [3] J. J. Kinnun et al. (2014) BBA (in press). [4] M. F. Brown et al. (2002) JACS 124, 8471-8484.

95Mo Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Quantum Simulations: Synergetic Tools for the Study of Molybdenum Cluster Materials

The ability of (95)Mo solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR) spectroscopy to probe the atomic and electronic structures of inorganic molybdenum cluster materials has been demonstrated for the first time. Six cluster compounds were studied: MoBr(2), Cs(2)Mo(6)Br(14), (Bu(4)N)(2)Mo(6)Br(14), each containing the octahedral Mo(6)Br(14)(2-) cluster unit, and MoS(2)Cl(3), Mo(3)S(7)Cl(4), and MoSCl that contain metallic dimers, trimers, and tetramers, respectively. To overcome inherent difficulties due to the low sensitivity of (95)Mo SSNMR, both high-magnetic-field spectrometers and the quadrupolar Carr-Purcell Meiboom-Gill sensitivity enhancement pulse sequence under magic-angle-spinning conditions, combined with a hyperbolic-secant pulse were used. Experimental measurements as well as characterization of the (95)Mo electric field gradient and chemical shift tensors have been performed with the help of quantum-chemical calculations under periodic boundary conditions using the projector augmented-wave and the gauge-including projector augmented-wave methods, respectively. A large (95)Mo chemical shift range is measured, ∼3150 ppm, and the isotropic chemical shift of the Mo atoms is clearly correlated to their formal oxidation degree in the various clusters. Furthermore, a direct relation is evidenced between the molybdenum quadrupolar coupling constant and the bond lengths with its surrounding ligands. Our results demonstrate the efficiency of the combined use of quantum-chemical calculations and (95)Mo SSNMR experiments to study inorganic molybdenum cluster compounds.

Solid-State 91Zr NMR Characterization of Layered and Three-Dimensional Framework Zirconium Phosphates

Layered and open framework zirconium phosphates (ZrPs) have many current and potential applications in the areas of catalysis, sorption, protonic conductors, solar energy storage, crystal engineering, and ion exchange. Characterization of ZrP-based materials is important because understanding the relationship between the properties of these materials and their structures is crucial for developing new uses and for improving their performances in current applications. However, local Zr environments in many ZrPs have not been characterized directly by 91Zr solid-state NMR (SSNMR). This is because 91Zn (I = 5/2) is an unreceptive nucleus with many NMR unfavorable characteristics, leading to low sensitivity. In this work, the local environments of the zirconium centers in several ion-exchanged derivatives of layered α-ZrP (K+-, Li+-, Co(NH3)63+-ZrP) have been probed directly using 91Zr MAS, static quadrupolar echo, and/or quadrupolar Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill NMR. Several layered and three-dimensional framewor...

87Sr Solid-State NMR as a Structurally Sensitive Tool for the Investigation of Materials: Antiosteoporotic Pharmaceuticals and Bioactive Glasses

Strontium is an element of fundamental importance in biomedical science. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that Sr(2+) ions can promote bone growth and inhibit bone resorption. Thus, the oral administration of Sr-containing medications has been used clinically to prevent osteoporosis, and Sr-containing biomaterials have been developed for implant and tissue engineering applications. The bioavailability of strontium metal cations in the body and their kinetics of release from materials will depend on their local environment. It is thus crucial to be able to characterize, in detail, strontium environments in disordered phases such as bioactive glasses, to understand their structure and rationalize their properties. In this paper, we demonstrate that (87)Sr NMR spectroscopy can serve as a valuable tool of investigation. First, the implementation of high-sensitivity (87)Sr solid-state NMR experiments is presented using (87)Sr-labeled strontium malonate (with DFS (double field sweep), QCPMG (quadrupolar Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill), and WURST (wideband, uniform rate, and smooth truncation) excitation). Then, it is shown that GIPAW DFT (gauge including projector augmented wave density functional theory) calculations can accurately compute (87)Sr NMR parameters. Last and most importantly, (87)Sr NMR is used for the study of a (Ca,Sr)-silicate bioactive glass of limited Sr content (only ~9 wt %). The spectrum is interpreted using structural models of the glass, which are generated through molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and relaxed by DFT, before performing GIPAW calculations of (87)Sr NMR parameters. Finally, changes in the (87)Sr NMR spectrum after immersion of the glass in simulated body fluid (SBF) are reported and discussed.

2H quadrupolar Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill NMR for paramagnetic solids

2H (I=1) quadrupolar Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (QCPMG) NMR methods in the presence of a paramagnetic shift interaction are reported. Pulse sequences based on quadrupole echo that can compensate effect of the shift interaction were adapted to obtain undistorted QCPMG spectra. The methods were demonstrated by 2H NMR measurement for paramagnetic CoSiF6·6H2O using strong radio-frequency pulses and by computer simulation. Detection of molecular dynamics by the present QCPMG method was also examined.

A natural abundance solid-state 25Mg NMR study of layered magnesium phosphates

Natural abundance 25Mg solid-state magic-angle spinning and static NMR spectra of several representative layered magnesium phosphates were acquired at 21.1 and 9.4 T by using quadrupolar echo and double-frequency sweep quadrupolar Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill pulse sequences. The spectra were dominated by the second-order quadrupolar interaction. The electric field gradient tensor parameters were extracted from the spectra via spectral simulations. These parameters, such as the quadrupolar coupling constant (CQ), appear to be sensitive to some parameters describing the distortion of the MgO6 octahedron in the layer. The empirical relationships between CQ and several structural parameters were established and used to obtain partial information on the Mg environment in a layered material (MgHPO4·1.2H2O) with unknown structure. Theoretical calculations suggest that the CQ values of the Mg sites are affected not only by the oxygen atoms in the first coordination sphere, but also by the spatial arrangements of the atoms in the second and third coordination spheres and beyond.

Solid-state 27Al nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of three aluminum-centered dyes

We report the first solid-state 27Al NMR study of three aluminum phthalocyanine dyes: aluminum phthalocyanine chloride, AlPcCl (1); aluminum-1,8,15,22-tetrakis(phenylthio)-29H,31H-phthalocyanine chloride, AlPc(SPh)4Cl (2); and aluminum-2,3-naphthalocyanine chloride, AlNcCl (3). Each of these compounds contains Al3+ ions coordinating to four nitrogen atoms and a chlorine atom. Solid-state 27Al NMR spectra, including multiple-quantum magic-angle spinning (MQMAS) spectra and quadrupolar Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill (QCPMG) spectra of stationary powdered samples have been acquired at multiple high magnetic field strengths (11.7, 14.1, and 21.1 T) to determine their composition and number of aluminum sites, which were analyzed to extract detailed information on the aluminum electric field gradient (EFG) and nuclear magnetic shielding tensors. The quadrupolar parameters for each 27Al site were determined from spectral simulations, with quadrupolar coupling constants (CQ) ranging from 5.40 to 10.0 MHz and asymmetry parameters (η) ranging from 0.10 to 0.50, and compared well with the results of quantum chemical calculations of these tensors. We also report the largest 27Al chemical shielding anisotropy (CSA), with a span of 120 ± 10 ppm, observed directly in a solid material. The combination of MQMAS and computational predictions are used to interpret the presence of multiple aluminum sites in two of the three samples.

High-Field Solid-State 67Zn NMR Spectroscopy of Several Zinc−Amino Acid Complexes

We report the results of our solid-state (67)Zn NMR study of the various zinc sites in four zinc-amino acid coordination complexes: bis(glycinato)zinc(II) monohydrate; bis(l-alaninato)zinc(II); bis(l-histidinato)zinc(II) dihydrate; and sodium bis(l-cysteinato)zincate(II) hexahydrate; as well as a related complex, bis(imidazole)zinc(II) chloride. We demonstrate the advantages of using high (21.1 T) applied magnetic fields for detecting (67)Zn directly at ambient temperatures using the quadrupolar Carr-Purcell Meiboom-Gill (QCPMG) pulse sequence. The stepped-frequency technique was employed in cases where the central-transition (CT) (67)Zn NMR spectra were too broad to be uniformly excited. The parameters of the anisotropic zinc tensors were extracted by iterative simulations of the experimental spectra. In all cases, the quadrupolar interaction is found to dominate the central-transition (67)Zn NMR spectra; no convincing effects from chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) on the NMR spectra of the five complexes could be reliably detected at this field strength. Analyses of the experimental NMR spectra reveal that the (67)Zn quadrupolar coupling constants (C(Q)) range from 7.05 to 26.4 MHz, the isotropic chemical shifts (delta(iso)) range from 140 to 265 ppm, and the quadrupolar asymmetry parameters (eta(Q)) range from 0.20 to 0.95. The first report of the NMR spectral features of pentacoordinated zinc sites is included for two complexes. Quantum chemical calculations of the electric field gradient (EFG) and magnetic shielding tensors reproduced the experimental results to a reasonable extent. Moreover, the computationally determined orientations of both tensors permit correlations between NMR tensor properties and zinc local environments to be understood.

Solid-State Chlorine NMR of Group IV Transition Metal Organometallic Complexes

Static solid-state (35)Cl (I = (3)/(2)) NMR spectra of the organometallic compounds Cp(2)TiCl(2), CpTiCl(3), Cp(2)ZrCl(2), Cp(2)HfCl(2), Cp*(2)ZrCl(2), CpZrCl(3), Cp*ZrCl(3), Cp(2)ZrMeCl, (Cp(2)ZrCl)(2)mu-O, and Cp(2)ZrHCl (Schwartz's reagent) have been acquired at 9.4 T with the quadrupolar Carr-Purcell Meiboom-Gill (QCPMG) sequence in a piecewise manner. Spectra of several samples have also been acquired at 21.1 T. The electric field gradient (EFG) tensor parameters, the quadrupolar coupling constant (C(Q)) and quadrupolar asymmetry parameter (eta(Q)), are readily extracted from analytical simulations of the spectra. The (35)Cl EFG and chemical-shift tensor parameters are demonstrated to be sensitive probes of metallocene structure and allow for differentiation of monomeric and oligomeric structures. First-principles calculations of the (35)Cl EFG parameters successfully reproduce the experimental values and trends. The origin of the observed values of C(Q)((35)Cl) are further examined with natural localized molecular orbital (NLMO) analyses. The combination of experimental and theoretical methods applied to the model compounds are employed to structurally characterize Schwartz's reagent (Cp(2)ZrHCl), for which a crystal structure is unavailable. Aside from a few select examples of single-crystal NMR spectra, this is the first reported application of solid-state (35)Cl NMR spectroscopy to molecules with covalently bound chlorine atoms. It is anticipated that the methodology outlined herein will find application in the structural characterization of a wide variety of chlorine-containing transition-metal and main-group systems.

33S MAS NMR of a disordered sulfur-doped silicate: Signal enhancement via RAPT, QCPMG and adiabatic pulses

Three different signal enhancement techniques have been applied to (33)S magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) of a disordered silicate containing 1.15 wt% (33)S. Partial saturation of the satellite transitions was achieved using a rotor-assisted population transfer (RAPT) pulse sequence, resulting in a signal enhancement of 1.63, albeit with a slight distortion of the line shape due to selective excitation. Adiabatic inversion of the satellite transitions by various amplitude-and frequency-modulated pulse shapes (such as hyperbolic secant and wideband uniform-rate smooth truncation) was also attempted, resulting in a signal enhancement of up to 1.85, with no apparent line shape distortion. Quadrupolar Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (QCPMG) and RAPT-QCPMG sequences were also used, both of which yielded spikelet spectra that accurately reflected the MAS line shape with a greatly improved signal-to-noise ratio. It is hoped that this study demonstrates that (33)S solid-state MAS NMR is now feasible even on disordered, low-sulfur-content systems.

91Zr and 25Mg solid-state NMR characterization of the local environments of the metal centers in microporous materials

Solid-state NMR was used to examine the local environments around the metal centers in microporous zirconium silicates and an aluminophosphate incorporated with Mg. 91Zr and 25Mg Quadrupolar Carr-Purcell Meiboom-Gill (QCPMG) spectra were obtained at different magnetic fields from which the quadrupolar and chemical shift parameters were extracted. The relationships between the NMR parameters and metal local structures were discussed. Theoretical calculations were performed on the model clusters. The work shows that using sensitivity enhancement techniques such as QCPMG and performing NMR experiments at the highest possible magnetic fields allow one to probe low-gamma, quadrupolar metal centres in microporous materials.

A solid‐state 53Cr NMR study of chromate and dichromate salts

Solid-state (53)Cr NMR spectra of a series of chromate (CrO4(2-)) and dichromate (Cr2O7(2-)) salts have been examined by employing the stepped-frequency quadrupolar Carr-Purcell Meiboom-Gill (QCPMG) experiment and high applied magnetic field strengths, 11.75 and 18.8 T. Cr-53 nuclear quadrupolar coupling constants, CQ(53Cr), ranging from 1.23 to 5.01 MHz for the Cr(4(2-) salts and 7.25 to 8.14 MHz for the Cr2O7(2-) salts have been measured. For the dichromate salts, this corresponds to central transition 53Cr NMR lineshapes of 200-250 kHz at 18.8 T. The use of hyperbolic secant (HS) pulses in combination with the Hahn-echo (HE) or QCPMG experiment results in significant sensitivity enhancements when acquiring 53Cr NMR spectra of magic-angle spinning (MAS) samples, provided the MAS rate is fast with respect to the second-order quadrupolar interaction. For the CrO4(2-) and Cr2O7(2-) salts, the anisotropic chromium magnetic shielding interaction is generally negligible compared to the second-order 53Cr nuclear quadrupolar interaction. No simple correlation between the structure of the CrO4(2-) and Cr2O7(2-) anions and the observed CQ(53Cr) values has been found.

Ultra‐wideline 27Al NMR Investigation of Three‐ and Five‐Coordinate Aluminum Environments

Ultra-wideline 27Al NMR experiments are conducted on coordination compounds with 27Al nuclei possessing immense quadrupolar interactions that result from exceptionally nonspherical coordination environments. NMR spectra are acquired using a methodology involving frequency-stepped, piecewise acquisition of NMR spectra with Hahn-echo or quadrupolar Carr-Purcell Meiboom-Gill (QCPMG) pulse sequences, which is applicable to any half-integer quadrupolar nucleus with extremely broad NMR powder patterns. Despite the large breadth of these central transition powder patterns, ranging from 250 to 700 kHz, the total experimental times are an order of magnitude less than previously reported experiments on analogous complexes with smaller quadrupolar interactions. The complexes examined feature three- or five-coordinate aluminum sites: trismesitylaluminum (AlMes3), tris(bis(trimethylsilyl)amino)aluminum (Al(NTMS2)3), bis[dimethyl tetrahydrofurfuryloxide aluminum] ([Me2-Al(mu-OTHF)]2), and bis[diethyl tetrahydrofurfuryloxide aluminum] ([Et2-Al(mu-OTHF)]2). We report some of the largest 27Al quadrupolar coupling constants measured to date, with values of C(Q)(27Al) of 48.2(1), 36.3(1), 19.9(1), and 19.6(2) MHz for AlMes3, Al(NTMS2)3, [Me2-Al(mu-OTHF)]2, and [Et2-Al(mu-OTHF)]2, respectively. X-ray crystallographic data and theoretical (Hartree-Fock and DFT) calculations of 27Al electric field gradient (EFG) tensors are utilized to examine the relationships between the quadrupolar interactions and molecular structure; in particular, the origin of the immense quadrupolar interaction in the three-coordinate species is studied via analyses of molecular orbitals.

High-field QCPMG NMR of strontium nuclei in natural minerals

The only stable NMR-active isotope of strontium, 87Sr, is a spin-9/2 quadrupolar nucleus that has a low gyromagnetic ratio, a low natural abundance, and a large nuclear electric quadrupole moment. In this work, we utilize the quadrupolar Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (QCPMG) pulse sequence and a 21.14 T NMR spectrometer at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to characterize the strontium sites in the natural minerals strontianite (SrCO 3) and celestine (SrSO 4). QCPMG at 21.14 T was found to provide sensitivity enhancements of roughly two orders of magnitude over Hahn-echo experiments at an 11.74 T magnetic field. We extracted the quadrupolar parameters for the strontium nuclei through iterative simulations of the experimental spectra with the SIMPSON program by Bak, Rasmussen, and Nielsen. The data show that the quadrupolar parameters of 87Sr appear to be highly sensitive to the symmetry of the strontium coordination environment and can thus provide information about the strontium binding environment in complex systems.