Water behavior in mesoporous materials as studied by NMR relaxometry

Water in mesoporous materials possessing a two-dimensional hexagonal structure has been studied by the variation of its NMR longitudinal relaxation time T(1) as a function of the static magnetic field value, or equivalently of the NMR measurement frequency. This technique, dubbed relaxometry, has been applied from 5 kHz (measurement frequency) up to 400 MHz with various instruments including a variable-field spectrometer operating between 8 and 90 MHz. Moreover, the range 0-5 kHz could be investigated by transverse relaxation, T(2) denoting the corresponding relaxation time, and relaxation in the rotating frame, T(1ρ) denoting the corresponding relaxation time. Measurements of proton relaxation rates (inverse of relaxation times) have been performed with H(2)O and HOD (residual protons of heavy water) at water volumes of 80%, 60%, and 40% relative to the porous volume. Comparison between H(2)O and HOD shows clearly that, above 1 MHz where both sets of data are superposed, relaxation is purely intermolecular and due to paramagnetic relaxation (dipolar interactions of water protons with unpaired electrons of paramagnetic entities). Below 1 MHz, it is possible to subtract the intermolecular contribution (given by HOD data) from H(2)O data so that one is left with intramolecular relaxation which is solely due to water reorientational motions. The analysis of these low-frequency data (in terms of Lorentzian functions) reveals two types of water within the pores: one interacting strongly with the surface and the other corresponding to a second layer. High-frequency data, which arise from paramagnetic relaxation, exhibit again two types of water. Due to their correlation times, one type is assigned to relatively free water within the pores while the other type corresponds to bulk (interparticular) water. Their proportions, given as a function of the volume fraction, are consistent with the above assignments.     

CPS K 221 Model of proton longitudinal magnetic relaxation in hydrated crosslinked poly(methacrylic acid)

Proton longitudinal magnetic relaxation time (T₁) measurements have been made at 30 MHz over a wide range of temperature for crosslinked poly(methacrylic acid), PMA, hydrated with H₂O as well as with D₂O. From the point of view of nuclear magnetic relaxation, PMA hydrogel is a multiregion system in which three proton regions (a, b, c) can be distinguished. Region a is regarded as to be formed by the nonexchangeable polymer protons, region b by the protons of -COOH · H₂O combinations, and region c by the protons of remaining water molecules. Cross relaxation between polymer and water protons and a log normal distribution of correlation times have been assumed to take place. Temperature dependences of the T₁ time for the particular regions have been determined, from which the distribution width parameter, the second moment and the intramolecular proton-proton distance for sorbed water have been calculated.     

Wide-line proton magnetic resonance spectra of some celluloses

Characteristic wide-line proton magnetic resonance absorption spectra of a number of representative cellulose preparations have been obtained in the dry state and after addition of about 7% water. Line widths, second moments, spin-spin and spin-lattice relaxation times have been determined. The second moment of the absorption curve of dry cellulose was found to correlate well with the crystalline fraction for most specimens. A technique is described for determining the number of water-cellulose protons exchanging relative to the number of cellulose protons not exchanging. The reduction in absorption line width observed when water is added to cellulose is shown to be quantitatively consistent with such a proton exchange phenomenon.     

Hydration behavior of heart muscle studies by nuclear magnetic relaxation: Deuterium exchange of water protons in the myocardium

Proton transverse relaxation, deuterium and oxygen-17 NMR measurements on functional animal heart muscle were employed to study the distribution and exchange of water protons in the heart. Our nonlinear regression analysis of such data showed the presence of three proton transverse relaxation components that are likely to correspond, respectively, to two major types of water compartments in the heart muscle and the heart muscle matrix. A deuterium exchange study was undertaken to obtain additional information concerning the chemical exchange of water protons/deuterium within these two water compartments, and the effects of proton intermolecular dipolar interactions on the transverse relaxation of water protons. Our results are likely to influence the analysis and interpretation of MRI data for myocardium since it provides details of the microscopic water distribution in the myocardium which is important to the heart function.     

An investigation of contributions to carbon-13 spin-lattice relaxtion in amino acids and peptide hormones

Carbon-13 spin-lattice relaxation times have been measured in glycine and the tripeptide pro-leu-gly-NH₂. These times are compared with those measured in the same compounds where the glycine α-carbon has been deuterated. In this manner evidence is obtained which indicates that mechanisms other than dipolar interactions with covalently bonded protons may contribute to carbon-13 spin-lattice relaxation. The effect of these additional mechanisms is found to be non-negligible for the carbonyl carbon of glycine and the glycine α-carbon of the tripeptide. The implication of these findings for deducing motional information from carbon-13 relaxation measurements is briefly discussed.     

High resolution 1H-NMR relaxation study of polyisobutylene in solution

From the temperature dependence of integrated intensities and from line widths in high-resolution ¹H-NMR spectra, the relaxation times T₁ and T₂ of protons in CH₂ and CH₃ groups of polyisobutylene in CCl₄ solution have been determined. Although the relaxation time T₁ of methylene protons is determined mainly by intragroup interactions, intergroup interactions of two methyl groups from each two consecutive monomer units were found to contribute considerably to T₁ of methyl protons. The Structure and mobility of polyisobutylene (PIB) molecules in solution is discussed on the basis of the relaxation time data.     

Water proton spin-lattice relaxation behaviour in heterogeneous biological systems

The water proton spin-lattice relaxation rate has been measured for a condensed 50% deuterated erythrocyte water system. Nuclear relaxation data, obtained in non-selective and selective modes, indicate that cross relaxation between erythrocyte and water protons occurs. The observed selective relaxation enhancement is interpreted in terms of intermolecular nuclear interactions modulated by motions which satisfy the ω_oT_c > 1 condition. Selective relaxation rates are here proposed to be more sensitive to interface characteristics than the non-selective ones.     

Cross relaxation effects on the longitudinal relaxation rate of water in protein solutions

Non-selective and selective longitudinal relaxation rates were measured for water protons in protein solutions. The perturbations on water spin-lattice relaxation from cross relaxation between water and protein protons were shown to be significant at low temperature and small isotopic dilution.     

Protons in supercritical water: a multistate empirical valence bond study

Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to analyze microscopic details related to aqueous solvation of excess protons along the supercritical T = 673 K isotherm, spanning a density interval from a typical liquid down to vapor environments. The simulation methodology relies on a multistate empirical valence bond Hamiltonian model that includes a proton translocation mechanism. Our results predict a gradual stabilization of the solvated Eigen cation [H(3)O.(H(2)O)(3)](+) at lower densities, in detriment of the symmetric Zundel dimer [H.(H(2)O)(2)](+). At all densities, the average solvation structure in the close vicinity of the hydronium is characterized by three hydrogen bond acceptor water molecules and presents minor changes in the solute water distances. Characteristic times for the proton translocation jumps have been computed using population relaxation time correlation functions. Compared to room temperature results, the rates at high densities are 4 times faster and become progressively slower in steamlike environments. Diffusion coefficients for the excess proton have also been computed. In agreement with conductometric data, our results show that contributions from the Grotthus mechanism to the overall proton transport diminish at lower densities and predict that in steamlike environments, the proton diffusion is almost 1 order of magnitude slower than that for pure water. Spectroscopic information for the solvated proton is accordant to the gradual prevalence of proton localization in Eigen-like structures at lower densities.     

Reorientational dynamics of p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene and of its La(III) complex in water

The reorientational dynamics of p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene and of its La(III) complex in deuterated water were studied by 1H NMR longitudinal relaxation rates. It is shown that the relaxation is purely dipolar in the non-extreme narrowing regime. The distance between the geminal protons could be determined from the NMR data, giving good agreement with the values generally used in correlation time calculations. The correlation times show an Arrhenius behaviour in good agreement with previously reported data from 13C measurements for a similar uncomplexed calixarene. The Arrhenius energies of activation are identical for the uncomplexed and the complexed calixarenes, suggesting a reorientational motion strongly dependent on the structure of the water cage around the complex. This is also in agreement with a complexation of the La(III) cation in the second sphere of solvation of the sulfonate groups, as shown by molecular dynamics simulations.     

H NMR studies of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) gels near the phase transition

The phase transition and critical phenomenon of equilibrium swollen poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (NIPA) hydrogels were studied by ¹H NMR spectroscopy in liquid solution mode. The quantitative NMR observation shows that the peak height and line width of polymer proton and of the HOD proton, and relaxation times of HOD proton all transitionally change as the temperature approaches the transition temperature. The relaxation times of water protons are also measured quantitatively, which shows that the temperature dependence of relaxation times of HOD on temperature before the transition is not consistent with relaxation theory based on the assumption of dominated dipolar interaction between like-spin nuclei and isotropic rotational motion. To explain the surprising relaxation behavior of HOD, we suggest that the amount of bound water in gels increases gradually with temperature at the approach of the phase transition. The pulsed-gradient spin-echo NMR experiments of NIPA gel confirm this suggestion. We believe that these results have important implications concerning the mechanism of the phase transition of NIPA hydrogels.     

Investigation of water environments in a C18 bonded silica phase using 1H magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy

High resolution 1H magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra have been obtained on typical C18 bonded silicas used in chromatographic solid-phase extraction separations. It has been shown for the first time that water molecules distributed in distinct physico-chemical environments within the chromatographic system can be detected directly using a simple 1H MAS NMR measurement. The resonances assigned to water protons in differing physico-chemical environments have distinct chemical shifts, line widths, relaxation times (T1 and T2) and also exhibit temperature dependent coalescence behaviour. This novel MAS approach may lead to a better understanding of the environments of other analytes in mixtures during such separations.     

Solvent interactions with [Val(5)]angiotensin II in ethanol-water

Intermolecular NOE experiments have been used to explore the interactions of water and ethanol molecules in 35% ethanol/65% water (v/v) with the octapeptide hormone [val (5)]angiotensin II at temperatures from 0 to 25 degrees C. Magnetic dipole-dipole cross relaxation terms sigma(HH)(NOE) and sigma(HH)(ROE) for interaction of both solvent components suggest that ethanol molecules interact with the peptide backbone atoms strongly enough to associate for times comparable to the rotational correlation time of the peptide; comparison of observed ROE and NOE cross relaxation terms indicate that lifetimes of these interactions are of the order 0.4 ns at 5 degrees C. Formation of such peptide-ethanol complexes can also account for larger-than-expected values of the cross relaxation terms at higher temperatures. Alternative explanations of the observations reported are shown to be unlikely, primarily because they require unreasonable and highly localized concentrations of the ethanol near the peptide. Side chains of the peptide appear to experience no unusual interactions with ethanol. Cross relaxation terms for water-peptide backbone interactions indicate long-lived interactions of water with the backbone atoms although the nonpolar side chains of the peptide (Val3, Val5, Pro7, and possibly Phe8) do not interact in any specific way with water molecules. Cross relaxation terms for protons of the polar (Tyr4 and His6) side chains may reflect strong interactions with water, but analysis of these is confounded by solvent proton exchange and possible spin diffusion effects.     

Proton spin lattice relaxation times in biological tissues Water and lipid role

Abstract

The multiphase model of water present in biological tissues derives mainly from the N.M.R. observation of a fraction of non-freezing water in biological tissues which is attributable to the water bound to macromolecules. Studies of this problem rule out completely the lipids as the source of the NMR signal. Our studies on nuclear spin lattice relaxation times of human and animal tissues have been made to understand if other contributions to the N.M.R. signal are present in addition to that coming from the water protons. We have measured directly by the N.M.R. method the relative water and lipid content and the relaxation time T ₁ as a function of the water content which was varied by controlled dehydration. The results show clearly that lipids contribute actively to the N.M.R. signal and the fast relaxation time T ₁ which is of the order of 100 ms in all biological tissues is related to the lipids. In view of these experimental observations we think that it is opportune to reconsider critically all the determinations of the ‘bound water’ made by the freezing procedure with the N.M.R. technique, and dedicate more attention to the lipids of biological membranes.     

交联共聚丙烯酰胺-丙烯酸水凝胶溶胀态分子动力学的NMR弛豫研究

用反相悬浮聚合法制备了交联度分别为10％、7．5％、5％、1％、0．5％及0．25％的丙烯酰胺-丙烯酸P（AAM－NaAA）交联共聚水凝胶，用HNMR驰豫方法测定了水及聚合物主链上（－CH2CH－）基团中质子的自旋-自旋驰豫时间（T2），并结合质子线型分析，研究了交联凝胶在溶胀态下的内部分子运动，讨论了不同交联度下谱线线宽及驰豫变化的机制。结果表明，由于交联使凝胶内部各向异性相互作用增强，存在有残余的偶极-偶极相互作用，质子语具有特征的超Lorentz线型；质子线宽比非交联态时加大，水及主链的T2随交联度的加大而减小，反映了内部分子运动由强变弱的过程；水的T2驰豫不是单纯的单指数驰豫行为，表明凝胶内部有较强的键合束缚水存在，与DSC实验的结论一致。     

Nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation studies of polyacrylamide solution

 The cohesive interaction among polymer chains in a polyacrylamide (PAAm)–D₂O solution has been studied by NMR relaxation. The NMR relaxation times of PAAm in the good solvent D₂O were measured at different temperatures. The results show that the solution system has a high local viscosity and that its relaxation characteristic is soft-solid-like. The temperature dependence of the relaxation behavior of the solution is obviously different from that of ordinary polymer solutions. The difference lies in the relaxation behavior of the methylene protons in the main chain of PAAm, as shown by analyzing the relaxation process with single exponential and biexponential decays. As the temperature increases, the solvation is weakened, leading polymer chains to form curling coils, thus hindering the movement of the methylene protons among the main chains. It can be expected from the existence of 80% fast-relaxing protons that there are a zhigh number of entanglements among the polymer chains in PAAm solution. The information about entanglements among the polymer chains can be deduced from the biexponential dependence of the spin–spin relaxation on the concentration of the polymer solutions. Received: 14 April 1999/Accepted in revised form: 12 October 1999     

NMR paramagnetic relaxation of the spin 2 complex Mn(III)TSPP: a unique mechanism

The S = 2 complex, manganese(III) meso-tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine chloride (Mn(III)TSPP) is a highly efficient relaxation agent with respect to water protons and has been studied extensively as a possible MRI contrast agent. The NMR relaxation mechanism has several unique aspects, key among which is the unusual role of zero-field splitting (zfs) interactions and the effect of these interactions on the electron spin dynamics. The principal determinant of the shape of the R1 magnetic relaxation dispersion (MRD) profile is the tetragonal 4th-order zfs tensor component, B4(4), which splits the levels of the m(S) = +/-2 non-Kramers doublet. When the splitting due to B4(4) exceeds the Zeeman splitting, the matrix elements of (S(z)) are driven into coherent oscillation, with the result that the NMR paramagnetic relaxation enhancement is suppressed. To confirm the fundamental aspects of this mechanism, proton R1 MRD data have been collected on polyacrylamide gel samples in which Mn(III)TSPP is reorientationally immobilized. Solute immobilization suppresses time-dependence in the electron spin Hamiltonian that is caused by Brownian motion, simplifying the theoretical analysis. Simultaneous fits of both gel and solution data were achieved using a single set of parameters, all of which were known or tightly constrained from prior experiments except the 4th-order zfs parameter, B4(4), and the electron spin relaxation times, which were found to differ in the m(S) = +/-1 and m(S) = +/-2 doublet manifolds. In liquid samples, but not in the gels, the B4(4)-induced splitting of the m(S) = +/-2 non-Kramers doublet is partially collapsed due to Brownian motion. This phenomenon affects the magnitudes of both B4(4) and electron spin relaxation times in the liquid samples.     

Identification of proton type in concentrated sweet solutions by pulsed NMR analysis

The spin-spin proton relaxation times T₂ of concentrated sucrose, maltose,D-glucose andL-proline solutions were determined using a Bruker Minispec NMR Spectrometer. Log spin echo amplitude decay curves were also determined and their non-linear nature allowed the proportions of different proton types to be calculated. These were in agreement with the theoretical proportions of ring (non-exchangeable protons), solute hydroxyl protons and water protons in the simple sugar molecules. A deuteration experiment confirmed that only non-exchangeable ring protons remained.     

DNA-based magnetic nanoparticle assembly acts as a magnetic relaxation nanoswitch allowing screening of DNA-cleaving agents

Monodisperse magnetic nanoparticles conjugated with complementary oligonucleotide sequences self-assemble into stable magnetic nanoassemblies resulting in a decrease of the spin-spin relaxation times (T2) of neighboring water protons. When these nanoassemblies are treated with a DNA cleaving agent, the nanoparticles become dispersed, switching the T2 of the solution back to original values. These qualities render the developed nanoparticles and their nanoassemblies as magnetic relaxation switches capable of screening for DNA-cleaving compounds by magnetic resonance methods such as MRI and NMR.     

Water Relaxation Measurements on Semiquinones of Various Flavoproteins

The water relaxation rates of several flavoproteins in the semiquinone state have been investigated by the spin echo technique. The results indicate a rather unspecific interaction between water and the protein-bound flavosemiquinones. An average interaction distance of 0.3-0.5 nm has been estimated. From the temperature dependence of the rate constants the free energy of activation for proton exchange is calculated to be about 17 kJ/mol. The rate of proton exchange is around 10¹¹ s?¹ for the flavosemiquinones investigated are accessible to water regardless of their ionic state. The large difference in relaxation rates of water protons between D - and L - amino-acid oxidases is noticeable. Oxynitrilase exhibits the highest whereas Azotobacter vinelandii flavodoxin shows the lowest water relaxation rate of the flavoproteins studied. The results are discussed in relation to the visible-light absorption properties of the flavoproteins.