Solid‐State NMR Characterization of Wilkinson’s Catalyst Immobilized in Mesoporous SBA‐3 Silica

The Wilkinson’s catalyst [RhCl(PPh₃)₃] has been immobilized inside the pores of amine functionalized mesoporous silica material SBA‐3 and The structure of the modified silica surface and the immobilized rhodium complex was determined by a combination of different solid‐state NMR methods. The successful modification of the silica surface was confirmed by ²⁹Si CP‐MAS NMR experiments. The presence of the T_n peaks confirms the successful functionalization of the support and shows the way of binding the organic groups to the surface of the mesopores. ³¹P‐³¹P J‐resolved 2D MAS NMR experiments were conducted in order to characterize the binding of the immobilized catalyst to the amine groups of the linkers attached to the silica surface. The pure catalyst exhibits a considerable ³¹P‐³¹P J‐coupling, well resolvable in 2D MAS NMR experiments. This J‐coupling was utilized to determine the binding mode of the catalyst to the linkers on the silica surface and the number of triphenylphosphine ligands that are replaced by coordination bonds to the amine groups. From the absence of any resolvable ³¹P‐³¹P J‐coupling in off‐magic‐angle‐spinning experiments, as well as slow‐spinning MAS experiments, it is concluded, that two triphenylphosphine ligands are replaced and that the catalyst is bonded to the silica surface through two linker molecules.     

Insight into the Supramolecular Architecture of Intact Diatom Biosilica from DNP‐Supported Solid‐State NMR Spectroscopy

Diatom biosilica is an inorganic/organic hybrid with interesting properties. The molecular architecture of the organic material at the atomic and nanometer scale has so far remained unknown, in particular for intact biosilica. A DNP‐supported ssNMR approach assisted by microscopy, MS, and MD simulations was applied to study the structural organization of intact biosilica. For the first time, the secondary structure elements of tightly biosilica‐associated native proteins in diatom biosilica were characterized in situ. Our data suggest that these proteins are rich in a limited set of amino acids and adopt a mixture of random‐coil and β‐strand conformations. Furthermore, biosilica‐associated long‐chain polyamines and carbohydrates were characterized, thereby leading to a model for the supramolecular organization of intact biosilica.     

稻壳中乳突状硅质体的提取与表征

利用湿化学法从稻壳中提取了乳突状硅质体，并利用TEM、小角XRD和NMR等手段对其进行了表征。实验结果表明乳突状硅质体是一种由平均粒径为3.6 nm的SiO2纳米粒子组成的非晶介孔材料。氮吸附-脱附测量表明硅质体的BET比表面积为355.9 m2/g， 平均孔径为5.8 nm。     

Charakterisierung der Protonen in polykristallinen Parawolframaten durch 1H‐MAS‐NMR‐Untersuchungen

Characterization of the Protons in Polycrystalline Paratungstates using ¹H MAS NMR Investigations ¹H MAS NMR experiments are used to characterize the non‐acid protons of the anions in polycrystalline paratungstates by means of the measured isotropic chemical shift values. The investigation of various hydrates of ammonium paratungstate allows a direct proof of protons in NH₄ ions and in water molecules while protons of the anions are not detectable. However, for both the potassium and the sodium paratungstates ¹H MAS NMR investigations detected the protons of water molecules and the non‐acid protons of the paratungstate anions. Additional ¹H broad‐line NMR experiments at 173 K support the interpretation of the results obtained by the ¹H MAS NMR investigations. For the NMR signal of the non‐acid protons of the paratungstate anion in the ¹H MAS NMR spectra of the potassium salt line‐splitting appears. This refers to the existence of two nonidentical positions of the protons in the crystal lattice and is in agreement with the results of the X‐ray structural analysis.     

Complex Formation of the Tetracycline‐Binding Aptamer Investigated by Specific Cross‐Relaxation under DNP

While dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) under magic‐angle spinning (MAS) is generally a powerful method capable of greatly enhancing the sensitivity of solid‐state NMR spectroscopy, hyperpolarization also gives rise to peculiar spin dynamics. Here, we elucidate how specific cross‐relaxation enhancement by active motions under DNP (SCREAM‐DNP) can be utilized to selectively obtain MAS‐NMR spectra of an RNA aptamer in a tightly bound complex with a methyl‐bearing ligand (tetracycline) due to the effective CH₃‐reorientation at an optimized sample temperature of approximately 160 K. SCREAM‐DNP can spectrally isolate the complex from non‐bound species in an RNA mixture. This selectivity allows for a competition assay between the aptamer and a mutant with compromised binding affinity. Variations in molecular structure and methyl dynamics, as observed by SCREAM‐DNP, between free tetracycline and RNA‐bound tetracycline are discussed.     

Matrix‐Free DNP‐Enhanced NMR Spectroscopy of Liposomes Using a Lipid‐Anchored Biradical

Magic‐angle spinning dynamic nuclear polarization (MAS‐DNP) has been proven to be a powerful technique to enhance the sensitivity of solid‐state NMR (SSNMR) in a wide range of systems. Here, we show that DNP can be used to polarize lipids using a lipid‐anchored polarizing agent. More specifically, we introduce a C16‐functionalized biradical, which allows localization of the polarizing agents in the lipid bilayer and DNP experiments to be performed in the absence of excess cryo‐protectant molecules (glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide, etc.). This constitutes another original example of the matrix‐free DNP approach that we recently introduced.     

X‐ray Absorption Near‐Edge Structure and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Study of the Lithium–Sulfur Battery and its Components

Understanding the mechanism(s) of polysulfide formation and knowledge about the interactions of sulfur and polysulfides with a host matrix and electrolyte are essential for the development of long‐cycle‐life lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries. To achieve this goal, new analytical tools need to be developed. Herein, sulfur K‐edge X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure (XANES) and ^6,7Li magic‐angle spinning (MAS) NMR studies on a Li–S battery and its sulfur components are reported. The characterization of different stoichiometric mixtures of sulfur and lithium compounds (polysulfides), synthesized through a chemical route with all‐sulfur‐based components in the Li–S battery (sulfur and electrolyte), enables the understanding of changes in the batteries measured in postmortem mode and in operando mode. A detailed XANES analysis is performed on different battery components (cathode composite and separator). The relative amounts of each sulfur compound in the cathode and separator are determined precisely, according to the linear combination fit of the XANES spectra, by using reference compounds. Complementary information about the lithium species within the cathode are obtained by using ⁷Li MAS NMR spectroscopy. The setup for the in operando XANES measurements can be viewed as a valuable analytical tool that can aid the understanding of the sulfur environment in Li–S batteries.     

Bifunctional Heterogeneous Catalysis of Silica–Alumina‐Supported Tertiary Amines with Controlled Acid–Base Interactions for Efficient 1,4‐Addition Reactions

We report the first tunable bifunctional surface of silica–alumina‐supported tertiary amines (SA–NEt₂) active for catalytic 1,4‐addition reactions of nitroalkanes and thiols to electron‐deficient alkenes. The 1,4‐addition reaction of nitroalkanes to electron‐deficient alkenes is one of the most useful carbon–carbon bond‐forming reactions and applicable toward a wide range of organic syntheses. The reaction between nitroethane and methyl vinyl ketone scarcely proceeded with either SA or homogeneous amines, and a mixture of SA and amines showed very low catalytic activity. In addition, undesirable side reactions occurred in the case of a strong base like sodium ethoxide employed as a catalytic reagent. Only the present SA‐supported amine (SA–NEt₂) catalyst enabled selective formation of a double‐alkylated product without promotions of side reactions such as an intramolecular cyclization reaction. The heterogeneous SA–NEt₂ catalyst was easily recovered from the reaction mixture by simple filtration and reusable with retention of its catalytic activity and selectivity. Furthermore, the SA–NEt₂ catalyst system was applicable to the addition reaction of other nitroalkanes and thiols to various electron‐deficient alkenes. The solid‐state magic‐angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopic analyses, including variable‐contact‐time ¹³C cross‐polarization (CP)/MAS NMR spectroscopy, revealed that acid–base interactions between surface acid sites and immobilized amines can be controlled by pretreatment of SA at different temperatures. The catalytic activities for these addition reactions were strongly affected by the surface acid–base interactions.     

High magnetic field solid‐state NMR analyses by combining MAS,MQ‐MAS,homo‐nuclear and hetero‐nuclear correlation experiments

A general strategy of structural analysis of alumina silicate by combining various solid‐state NMR measurements such as single pulse, multi‐quantum magic angle spinning, double‐quantum homo‐nuclear correlation under magic angle spinning (DQ‐MAS), and cross‐polarization hetero‐nuclear correlation (CP‐HETCOR) was evaluated with the aid of high magnetic field NMR (800 MHz for ¹H Larmor frequency) by using anorthite as a model material. The high magnetic field greatly enhanced resolution of ²⁷Al in single pulse, DQ‐MAS, and even in triple‐quantum magic angle spinning NMR spectra. The spatial proximities through dipolar couplings were probed by the DQ‐MAS methods for homo‐nuclear correlations between both ²⁷Al–²⁷Al and ²⁹Si–²⁹Si and by CP‐HETCOR for hetero‐nuclear correlations between ²⁷Al–²⁹Si in the anorthite framework. By combining various NMR methodologies, we elucidated detailed spatial correlations among various aluminum and silicon species in anorthite that was hard to be determined using conventional analytical methods at low magnetic field. Moreover, the presented approach is applicable to analyze other alumina‐silicate minerals. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Solid‐state NMR Study of the YadA Membrane‐Anchor Domain in the Bacterial Outer Membrane

MAS‐NMR was used to study the structure and dynamics at ambient temperatures of the membrane‐anchor domain of YadA (YadA‐M) in a pellet of the outer membrane of E. coli in which it was expressed. YadA is an adhesin from the pathogen Yersinia enterocolitica that is involved in interactions with the host cell, and it is a model protein for studying the autotransport process. Existing assignments were sucessfully transferred to a large part of the YadA‐M protein in the E. coli lipid environment by using ¹³C‐¹³C DARR and PDSD spectra at different mixing times. The chemical shifts in most regions of YadA‐M are unchanged relative to those in microcrystalline YadA‐M preparations from which a structure has previously been solved, including the ASSA region that is proposed to be involved in transition‐state hairpin formation for transport of the soluble domain. Comparisons of the dynamics between the microcrystalline and membrane‐embedded samples indicate greater flexibility of the ASSA region in the outer‐membrane preparation at physiological temperatures. This study will pave the way towards MAS‐NMR structure determination of membrane proteins, and a better understanding of functionally important dynamic residues in native membrane environments.     

Ammonolysis of 1,2‐Bis[dichloro(methyl)silyl]ethane. On the Structure of 1,3,6,8‐Tetramethyl‐2,7,11,12‐tetraaza‐1,3,6,8‐tetrasila‐tricyclo[6.2.1.13,6]‐dodecane

Ammonolysis of 1,2‐bis[dichloro(methyl)silyl]ethane afforded a crystalline tricyclic silazane along with polymeric material. The crystalline material could be isolated in pure state. It was analyzed by ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁵N and ²⁹Si NMR spectroscopy in solution, by ¹³C, ¹⁵N and ²⁹Si MAS NMR spectroscopy in the solid state, as well as by single‐crystal and powder X‐ray diffraction. The title compound exists as a single isomer in solution, whereas in the solid state the presence of several modifications is indicated, in particular by the solid‐state MAS NMR spectra.     

Powder‐XRD and 14N magic angle‐spinning solid‐state NMR spectroscopy of some metal nitrides

Some metal nitrides (TiN, ZrN, InN, GaN, Ca₃N₂, Mg₃N₂, and Ge₃N₄) have been studied by powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and ¹⁴N magic angle‐spinning (MAS) solid‐state NMR spectroscopy. For Ca₃N₂, Mg₃N₂, and Ge₃N₄, no ¹⁴N NMR signal was observed. Low speed (ν_r = 2 kHz for TiN, ZrN, and GaN; ν_r = 1 kHz for InN) and ‘high speed’ (ν_r = 15 kHz for TiN; ν_r = 5 kHz for ZrN; ν_r = 10 kHz for InN and GaN) MAS NMR experiments were performed. For TiN, ZrN, InN, and GaN, powder‐XRD was used to identify the phases present in each sample. The number of peaks observed for each sample in their ¹⁴N MAS solid‐state NMR spectrum matches perfectly well with the number of nitrogen‐containing phases identified by powder‐XRD. The ¹⁴N MAS solid‐state NMR spectra are symmetric and dominated by the quadrupolar interaction. The envelopes of the spinning sidebands manifold are Lorentzian, and it is concluded that there is a distribution of the quadrupolar coupling constants Q_cc's arising from structural defects in the compounds studied. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

19F‐MAS NMR on Proteorhodopsin: Enhanced Protocol for Site‐Specific Labeling for General Application to Membrane Proteins†

Proteorhodopsin (PR) is a light‐driven proton pump found in near‐surface marine γ‐proteobacteria. The green absorbing variant has three cysteines at positions 107, 156 and 175. We probed the accessibility of these residues by ¹⁹F‐MAS NMR. For this purpose, an efficient but simple protocol for chemical fluorine labeling of accessible cysteines in membrane proteins was established. This one‐step reaction was applied to detergent‐solubilized PR before reconstitution into phospholipids. All three cysteines could be labeled and showed distinct ¹⁹F chemical shifts with different integral intensities. The accessibility of these cysteines is discussed in the context of a homology model. With the chemical cysteine labeling procedure shown here, an attractive option for site‐directed solid‐state NMR studies on other membrane proteins is offered due to the high intrinsic sensitivity of ¹⁹F‐MAS NMR.     

Phosphate‐Triggered Self‐Assembly of N‐[(Uracil‐5‐yl)methyl]urea: A Minimalistic Urea‐Derived Hydrogelator

N‐[(Uracil‐5‐yl)methyl]urea is reported as a minimalistic low‐molecular‐weight hydrogelator (LMWHG). The unusual phosphate‐induced assembly of this compound has been thoroughly investigated by IR, UV/Vis, and NMR spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and rheological experiments. This rare example of an anion‐triggered urea‐based LMWHG is the first example of a pyrimidine‐ and urea‐containing molecule that can be forced into self‐assembly in aqueous solution without additional aromatic or lipophilic groups. The gelator/phosphate ratio within the hydrogel was successfully determined by ³¹P MAS NMR spectroscopy. The hydrogel exhibits a very fast and repeatable self‐healing property, and remarkable G′ values. The viscoelastic properties of the hydrogel can easily be tuned by variation of the phosphate ratio.     

Modification and intercalation of layered zirconium phosphates: a solid‐state NMR monitoring

Several layered zirconium phosphates treated with Zr(IV) ions, modified by monomethoxy‐polyethyleneglycol‐monophosphate and intercalated with doxorubicin hydrochloride have been studied by solid‐state MAS NMR techniques. The organic components of the phosphates have been characterized by the ¹³C{¹H} CP MAS NMR spectra compared with those of initial compounds. The multinuclear NMR monitoring has provided to establish structure and covalent attachment of organic/inorganic moieties to the surface and interlayer spaces of the phosphates. The MAS NMR experiments including kinetics of proton‐phosphorus cross polarization have resulted in an unusual structure of zirconium phosphate 6 combining decoration of the phosphate surface by polymer units and their partial intercalation into the interlayer space. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantifying brain tumor tissue abundance in HR‐MAS spectra using non‐negative blind source separation techniques

Given high‐resolution magic angle spinning (HR‐MAS) spectra from several glial tumor subjects, our goal is to differentiate between tumor tissue types by separating the different sources that contribute to the profile of each spectrum. Blind source separation techniques are applied for obtaining characteristic profiles for necrosis, highly cellular tumor and border tumor tissue and providing the contribution (abundance) of each of these tumor tissue types to the profile of each spectrum. The problem is formulated as a non‐negative source separation problem. Non‐negative matrix factorization, convex analysis of non‐negative sources and non‐negative independent component analysis methods are considered. The results are in agreement with the pathology obtained by the histopathological examination that succeeded the HR‐MAS measurements. Furthermore, an analysis to verify to which extent the dimension of the input space, the input features and the number of sources to be extracted from the HR‐MAS data could influence the performance of the source separation is presented. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Towards Eumelanin@Zeolite Hybrids: Pore‐Size‐Controlled 5,6‐Dihydroxyindole Polymerization

5,6‐Dihydroxyindole ( 1 ) and its N‐methyl derivative ( 2 ), key eumelanin building blocks, were inserted into zeolite L by sublimation at 175 °C for 5 days. At a 10 mg/300 mg indole/zeolite ratio, the resulting hybrids displayed a stable deep red coloration. CP/MAS ¹³C NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy of the red species suggested the generation and accommodation of quinonoid biindole derivative(s) within the void space of the acidic zeolite channels. Removal of the zeolite matrix by treatment with HF gave a stable species that could be separated by HPLC and characterized by mass spectrometry as an oxygenated biindole derivative (or a mixture of isomers), suggesting addition of water to the original dimer and subsequent re‐oxidation. The characterization was corroborated by optimized molecular geometries and simulated UV spectra with density functional calculations. Loading 1 or 2 into the larger pores of SBA‐15 type mesoporous silica resulted in black eumelanin‐type polymers, confirming channel size dependence over the polymerization process.     

Silicateins—A Novel Paradigm in Bioinorganic Chemistry: Enzymatic Synthesis of Inorganic Polymeric Silica

The inorganic matrix of the siliceous skeletal elements of sponges, that is, spicules, is formed of amorphous biosilica. Until a decade ago, it remained unclear how the hard biosilica monoliths of the spicules are formed in sponges that live in a silica‐poor (<50 μM ) aquatic environment. The following two discoveries caused a paradigm shift and allowed an elucidation of the processes underlying spicule formation; first the discovery that in the spicules only one major protein, silicatein, exists and second, that this protein displays a bio‐catalytical, enzymatic function. These findings caused a paradigm shift, since silicatein is the first enzyme that catalyzes the formation of an inorganic polymer from an inorganic monomeric substrate. In the present review the successive steps, following the synthesis of the silicatein product, biosilica, and resulting in the formation of the hard monolithic spicules is given. The new insight is assumed to open new horizons in the field of biotechnology and also in biomedicine.     

Solid‐state NMR spectroscopy of Pb‐rich apatite

Pb‐containing hydroxylapatite phases synthesized under aqueous conditions were investigated by X‐ray diffraction and solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques to determine the Pb, Ca distribution. ³¹P and ¹H magic‐angle spinning (MAS) NMR results indicate slight shifts of the isotropic chemical shift with increased Ca content and complex lineshapes at compositions with near equal amounts of Ca and Pb. ³¹P{²⁰⁷Pb} and ¹H{²⁰⁷Pb} rotational‐echo double resonance (REDOR) results for intermediate compositions show that resolved spectral features cannot be assigned simply in terms of local Ca, Pb configurations or coexisting phases. ²⁰⁷Pb MAS NMR spectra are easily obtained for these materials and contain well‐resolved resonances for crystallographically unique A1 and A2 Pb sites. Splitting of the A1 and A2 ²⁰⁷Pb resonances for pure hydroxyl‐pyromorphite (Pb₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂) compared to natural pyromorphite (Pb₅(PO₄)₃Cl) suggests symmetry reduced from hexagonal. We find that ²⁰⁷Pb{¹H} CP/MAS NMR is impractical in Pb‐rich hydroxylapatites due to fast ²⁰⁷Pb relaxation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Enhancing NMR Sensitivity of Natural‐Abundance Low‐γ Nuclei by Ultrafast Magic‐Angle‐Spinning Solid‐State NMR Spectroscopy

Although magic‐angle‐spinning (MAS) solid‐state NMR spectroscopy has been able to provide piercing atomic‐level insights into the structure and dynamics of various solids, the poor sensitivity has limited its widespread application, especially when the sample amount is limited. Herein, we demonstrate the feasibility of acquiring high S/N ratio natural‐abundance ¹³C NMR spectrum of a small amount of sample (≈2.0 mg) by using multiple‐contact cross polarization (MCP) under ultrafast MAS. As shown by our data from pharmaceutical compounds, the signal enhancement achieved depends on the number of CP contacts employed within a single scan, which depends on the T_1ρ of protons. The use of MCP for fast 2D ¹H/¹³C heteronuclear correlation experiments is also demonstrated. The significant signal enhancement can be greatly beneficial for the atomic‐resolution characterization of many types of crystalline solids including polymorphic drugs and nanomaterials.