Disentangling proton connectivity networks in highly overlapped 1H-NMR spectra of polynuclear aromatics using 1D-HOHAHA

One-dimensional ( 1D ) variants of two-dimensional ( 2D ) nmr techniques can frequently provide the required information in a much shorter period of time than the 2D experiment from which they were derived. Application of the 1D homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn (1D-HOHAHA) experiment to establish proton-proton connectivity networks in highly overlapped four-spin systems in the proton nmr spectra of polynuclear aromatics is described. Selective subspectra are contrasted to the data obtained in a COSY experiment on the same molecule, benzo[f][l]benzothieno [2,3 -c]quinoline. Results from the 1D-HOHAHA technique are especially useful when component resonances from several spin systems are heavily overlapped. Relayed 1D-HOHAHA provides the means of exploiting small, long range coupling pathways of polynuclear aromatics.