Rapid 1H[13C]-resolved diffusion and spin-relaxation measurements by NMR spectroscopy

Hadamard-encoded heteronuclear-resolved NMR diffusion and relaxation measurements allow overlapping signal decays to be resolved with substantially shorter measuring times than are generally associated with 2D heteronuclear cross-correlation experiments. Overall measuring time requirements can be reduced by approximately an order of magnitude, compared to typical 2D heteronuclear single-quantum correlation-resolved diffusion or relaxation measurements. Specifically, in cases where chemical shift correlation information provides enhanced spectral resolution, the use of Hadamard encoding can be used to overcome uniqueness challenges that are associated with the analysis of concurrent dynamic processes and the extraction of time constants from overlapping exponential signal decays. This leads to substantially improved resolution of similar time constants than can be achieved solely through the use of post-acquisition processing techniques. In the ideal case of complete spectral separation of the signal decays, the usual constraint that time constants must be sufficiently different to resolve by exponential analysis can be circumvented entirely. Hadamard-based pulse sequences have been used to determine 1H[13C]-resolved diffusion coefficients and spin-relaxation time constants for the chemically similar components of an aqueous solution of ethanol, glycerol, and poly(ethylene glycol), and a dye-containing block-copolymer solution, which exhibit significant spectral overlap in their 1H NMR spectra.     

Structure of a surfactant-templated silicate framework in the absence of 3d crystallinity

The structure of a novel molecularly ordered two-dimensional (2D) silicate framework in a surfactant-templated mesophase has been established by using a combination of solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and quantum chemical and empirical force-field modeling. These materials are unusual in their combination of headgroup-directed 2D crystalline framework ordering, zeolite-like ring structures within the layers, and long-range mesoscopic organization without three-dimensional (3D) atomic periodicity. The absence of registry between the silicate sheets, resulting from the liquidlike disorder of the alkyl surfactant chains, has presented significant challenges to the determination of framework structures in these and similar materials lacking 3D crystalline order. Double-quantum (29)Si NMR correlation experiments establish the interactions and connectivities between distinct intra-sheet silicon sites from which the structure of the molecularly ordered inorganic framework is determined.     

Co‐development of Crystalline and Mesoscopic Order in Mesostructured Zeolite Nanosheets

Mesoporous zeolites are a new and technologically important class of materials that exhibit improved diffusion and catalytic reaction properties compared to conventional zeolites with sub‐nanometer pore dimensions. During their syntheses, the transient developments of crystalline and mesoscopic order are closely coupled and challenging to control. Correlated solid‐state NMR, X‐ray, and electron microscopy analyses yield new molecular‐level insights on the interactions and distributions of complicated organic structure‐directing agents with respect to crystallizing zeolite frameworks. The analyses reveal the formation of an intermediate layered silicate phase, which subsequently transforms into zeolite nanosheets with uniform nano‐ and mesoscale porosities. Such materials result from coupled surfactant self‐assembly and inorganic crystallization processes, the interplay between which governs the onset and development of framework structural order on different length and time scales.     

ExplorEnz: a MySQL database of the IUBMB enzyme nomenclature

Background  

We describe the database ExplorEnz, which is the primary repository for EC numbers and enzyme data that are being curated on behalf of the IUBMB. The enzyme nomenclature is incorporated into many other resources, including the ExPASy-ENZYME, BRENDA and KEGG bioinformatics databases.     

NMR Studies on Hydrolysis and Condensation Reactions of Alkoxysilanes Containing Si—H Bonds

Hydrolysis and condensation reactions of four organically modified alkoxides, used for the preparation of silicon oxycarbide gel precursors, have been followed by 29Si NMR. Triethoxysilane (HSi(OEt)3) and methyldiethoxysilane (MeHSi(OEt)2) react extremely fast compared to methyltriethoxysilane (MeSi(OEt)3) and tetraethoxysilane (Si(OEt)4). Co-hydrolysis reactions between different pairs of precursors—MeSi(OEt)3/Si(OEt)4; MeSi(OEt)3/HSi(OEt)3; MeHSi(OEt)2/Si(OEt)4; and MeHSi(OEt)2/HSi(OEt)3—were investigated by solution state 29Si and 17O NMR. Despite significantly different reactivities between precursors, evidence for co-condensation reactions has been found for each system. Finally, two-dimensional 29Si-1H heteronuclear correlation MAS-NMR spectroscopy was used to probe the local environments of the various Si sites in the product hybrid networks.     

Functionalization of mesostructured inorganic–organic and porous inorganic materials

The capability to functionalize the interior channels and/or high internal surface areas of mesostructured inorganic–organic or porous inorganic solids with specific organic or inorganic moieties has dramatically expanded the potential applications for these versatile materials in catalysis, separations, optical and opto-electronic devices, drug delivery, sensors, and energy conversion. Key to the widespread application of these materials are the various synthetic schemes that have been developed to provide control over the types of species incorporated and, more importantly, their distributions within the mesostructured hosts. Furthermore, multiple active species can often be independently incorporated and collectively optimized to yield multifunctional properties that widen application prospects. Several recent developments and examples in this rapidly growing field of materials chemistry and engineering are highlighted and discussed.     

Structure-directing roles and interactions of fluoride and organocations with siliceous zeolite frameworks

Interactions of fluoride anions and organocations with crystalline silicate frameworks are shown to depend subtly on the architectures of the organic species, which significantly influence the crystalline structures that result. One- and two-dimensional (2D) (1)H, (19)F, and (29)Si nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy measurements establish distinct intermolecular interactions among F(-) anions, imidazolium structure-directing agents (SDA(+)), and crystalline silicate frameworks for as-synthesized siliceous zeolites ITW and MTT. Different types and positions of hydrophobic alkyl ligands on the imidazolium SDA(+) species under otherwise identical zeolite synthesis compositions and conditions lead to significantly different interactions between the F(-) and SDA(+) ions and the respective silicate frameworks. For as-synthesized zeolite ITW, F(-) anions are established to reside in the double-four-ring (D4R) cages and interact strongly and selectively with D4R silicate framework sites, as manifested by their strong (19)F-(29)Si dipolar couplings. By comparison, for as-synthesized zeolite MTT, F(-) anions reside within the 10-ring channels and interact relatively weakly with the silicate framework as ion pairs with the SDA(+) ions. Such differences manifest the importance of interactions between the imidazolium and F(-) ions, which account for their structure-directing influences on the topologies of the resulting silicate frameworks. Furthermore, 2D (29)Si{(29)Si} double-quantum NMR measurements establish (29)Si-O-(29)Si site connectivities within the as-synthesized zeolites ITW and MTT that, in conjunction with synchrotron X-ray diffraction analyses, establish insights on complicated order and disorder within their framework structures.