Advances in high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance methods in inhomogeneous magnetic fields using intermolecular multiple quantum coherences

Strong and extremely homogeneous static magnetic field is usually required for high-resolution nu-clear magnetic resonance (NMR). However, in the cases of in vivo and so on, the magnetic field inho-mogeneity owing to magnetic susceptibility variation in samples is unavoidable and hard to eliminate by conventional methods such as shimming. Recently, intermolecular multiple quantum coherences (iMQCs) have been employed to eliminate inhomogeneous broadening and obtain high-resolution NMR spectra, especially for in vivo samples. Compared to other high-resolution NMR methods, iMQC method exhibits its unique feature and advantage. It simultaneously holds information of chemical shifts, multiplet structures, coupling constants, and relative peak areas. All the information is often used to analyze and characterize molecular structures in conventional one-dimensional NMR spec-troscopy. In this work, recent technical developments including our results in this field are summarized; the high-resolution mechanism is analyzed and comparison with other methods based on interactions between spins is made; comments on the current situation and outlook on the research directions are also made.     

Fast high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy through indirect zero-quantum coherence detection in inhomogeneous fields

In many cases, high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance （NMR） spectra are virtually impossible to obtain by con- ventional nuclear magnetic resonance methods because of inhomogeneity of magnetic field and inherent heterogeneity of sample. Although conventional intramolecular zero-quantum coherence （ZQC） can be used to obtain high-resolution spectrum in inhomogeneous field, the acquisition takes rather long time. In this paper, a spatially encoded intramolecular ZQC technique is proposed to fast acquire high-resolution NMR spectrum in inhomogeneous field. For the first time, the gradient-driven decoding technique is employed to selectively acquire intramolecular ZQC signals. Theoretical analyses and experimental observations demonstrate that high-resolution NMR spectral information can be retrieved within several scans even when the field inhomogeneity is severe enough to erase most spectral information. This work provides a new way to enhance the acquisition efficiency of high-resolution intramolecular ZQC spectroscopy in inhomogeneous fields.     

High-resolution MR spectroscopy via intermolecular double-quantum coherences in inhomogeneous B0 and B1 fields

Inhomogeneity in static field B₀ and/or RF field B₁ is inevitable under some circumstances. In this work, a method based on intermolecular double-quantum coherences is employed for high-resolution 1D MR spectroscopy via 2D acquisition under such a condition. High-resolution information on chemical shifts, multiplet patterns, J coupling constants and relative peak areas can be retained in the resulting 1D projected spectra, as shown with results from a narrow-bore NMR spectrometer and a whole-body clinical scanner.     

Selective NMR excitation in strongly inhomogeneous magnetic fields

The NMR-MOUSE is a unilateral and mobile NMR sensor which operates with highly inhomogeneous magnetic fields. To produce a mobile NMR unit, RF excitation is sought, which can be produced with the most simple equipment, in particular nonlinear, low-power amplifiers, and to observe a free induction decay in strongly inhomogeneous fields, the excitation needs to be selective. The possibility to produce selective excitation by sequences of hard low-power radiofrequency pulses in the strongly inhomogeneous magnetic fields of the NMR-MOUSE is explored. The use of the DANTE sequence for selection of magnetization from parts of the sensitive volume was investigated for longitudinal and transverse magnetization by computer simulations and experiments. The spectra of the recorded FIDs and echo signals are in good agreement with those simulated for the excitation, which verifies the concept of the DANTE excitation. The results obtained are an important step towards a low-power operation of the NMR-MOUSE to improve its mobility.     

High-resolution NMR spectra in inhomogeneous fields utilizing the CRAZED sequence without coherence selection gradients

Coherence selection gradients have been considered as indispensable for high-resolution NMR spectroscopy in inhomogeneous fields utilizing the CRAZED-type sequences. However, our experimental results demonstrate that these gradients can be omitted if an appropriate phase cycling is applied. The measured linewidth of reconstructing 1D high-resolution spectral peaks does not depend on the dipolar correlation distance determined by the coherence selection gradients, but is only affected by diffusion and T(2) relaxation. This finding suggests the need to reconsider the mechanism for the iMQC-based high-resolution spectroscopy.     

不均匀不稳定磁场下高分辨液体核磁共振新技术的研究进展

高分辨核磁共振（Nuclear Magnetic Resonance,NMR）谱的获得通常需要高度稳定且均匀的强静磁场. 阻抗磁体或阻抗－超导混合磁体可获得比超导磁体高得多的磁场, 但它们的磁场的稳定性与均匀性比较差;另一方面, 在活体定域波谱研究中,样品内部组分的磁化率差异,运动或生理活动等作用将不可避免地导致磁场的不均匀不稳定,并且这些不稳定不均匀性无法通过锁场匀场等传统的方法消除. 基于分子间零量子相干的方法、空间编码单扫描快速方法、反卷积技术等日渐成为在不均匀不稳定磁场下获取高分辨率的NMR谱的研究热点.     

Resolution and sensitivity aspects of ultrafast J-resolved 2D NMR spectra

Recent ultrafast techniques enable nD NMR spectra to be obtained in a single scan. However, resolution enhancement in the ultrafast domain leads to important sensitivity losses and lineshape distortions. In order to understand better resolution and spatial encoding aspects of continuous phase-encoding schemes, a theoretical and experimental comparison of different excitation patterns is carried out. Molecular diffusion appears to be the main cause of signal-to-noise ratio decrease, and a multi-echo excitation scheme is proposed to limit its effects when a good resolution is needed. Results obtained on 2D J-resolved spectra are presented.     

A new detection scheme for ultrafast 2D J-resolved spectroscopy

Recent ultrafast techniques enable 2D NMR spectra to be obtained in a single scan. A modification of the detection scheme involved in this technique is proposed, permitting the achievement of 2D 1H J-resolved spectra in 500 ms. The detection gradient echoes are substituted by spin echoes to obtain spectra where the coupling constants are encoded along the direct nu2 domain. The use of this new J-resolved detection block after continuous phase-encoding excitation schemes is discussed in terms of resolution and sensitivity. J-resolved spectra obtained on cinnamic acid and 3-ethyl bromopropionate are presented, revealing the expected 2D J-patterns with coupling constants as small as 2 Hz.     

Self-diffusion measurements by a constant-relaxation method in strongly inhomogeneous magnetic fields

The simple pulse sequence thetax-tau1-2thetay-tau1+tau2-2thetay-tau2-Hahn echo used to measure the self-diffusion coefficient D under constant-relaxation condition, i.e., for tau1+tau2=const. was investigated in the presence of strongly inhomogeneous static as well as radiofrequency magnetic fields. The encoding of the Hahn-echo amplitude by the pulse flip angle and diffusion was evaluated by taking into account the spatial distribution of the off-resonance field, the strength and orientation of the local field gradients, and the pulse flip angles by a computer simulation program. As input files, this program uses maps of static and radiofrequency fields, and the D coefficient can be evaluated from the time dependence of the Hahn-echo amplitude. The method was applied to a mobile one-sided NMR sensor, NMR-MOUSE with a bar magnet by measuring D for a series of liquids with different viscosities. The method was shown to be particularly useful for measuring D of solvents in elastomers without the need for measurements of the transverse relaxation rates. The self-diffusion coefficient of toluene in a series of crosslinked natural rubber samples was measured and correlated with the crosslink density. Finally, the method was applied to measure the diffusion anisotropy of free water in bovine Achilles tendon.     

雷公藤精（Wilforgine）的2D NMR研究

用２Ｄ ＮＭＲ（＾１Ｈ－＾１ＨＣＯＳＹ，＾１Ｈ－＾１３Ｃ ＣＯＳＹ，ＴＯＣＳＹ，ＮＯＥＳＹ和ＣＯＬＯＣ）技术研究了从雷公藤中分离到的雷公藤精，对＾１Ｈ和＾１３Ｃ谱进行了归属。     

Line shape considerations in ultrafast 2D NMR

We have recently proposed and demonstrated an approach that enables the acquisition of 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra within a single scan. The approach is based on spatially encoding the spins' evolution along the indirect domain with the aid of a magnetic field gradient, and subsequently decoding this information numerous times over the course of the signal acquisition while spins are subject to a train of gradient echoes. The present paper discusses further considerations pertaining the 2D line shapes arising from this new way of collecting NMR data. Specific issues that are hereby addressed include (i) the effects introduced by fast relaxation onto the spatial encoding process, particularly the line widths and line shapes that will then arise in the frequency domain; (ii) approaches capable of correcting for the mixed-phase kernels resulting in these fast-relaxation cases, corresponding in essence to spatially encoded analogs of the TPPI and hypercomplex time-domain acquisition procedures; (iii) the enveloping characteristics imposed by the use of discrete excitation pulses on the attainable spectral widths along the indirect domain; and (iv) an analysis of the signal-to-noise characteristics of the methodology, with experimental corroborations of theoretical predictions and an illustration of the method's capabilities to analyze protein solutions in the mM-range concentration.     

3D H2BC: A novel experiment for small-molecule and biomolecular NMR at natural isotopic abundance

3D H2BC is introduced for heteronuclear assignment on natural abundance samples even for biomolecules up to at least 10 kDa in low millimolar concentrations as an overnight experiment using the latest generation of cryogenically cooled probes. The short pulse sequence duration of H2BC is maintained in the 3D version due to multiple use of the constant-time delay. Applications ranging from a small lipid to a non-recombinant protein demonstrate the merits of 3D H2BC and the ease of obtaining assignments in chains of protonated carbons.     

Observation of molecular migration in porous media using 2D exchange spectroscopy in the inhomogeneous magnetic field

We present a new method for observing fluid diffusion in a porous medium. The method employs 2D exchange spectroscopy for molecules diffusing in the presence of local magnetic field inhomogeneities, in our case distilled water in various sized glass bead packs. Our experiment involves an acquisition and evolution time domain with the two Fourier domains corresponding to the spectral distribution of local fields. We show that exchange in the internal magnetic field can be seen in a 2D spectrum with a characteristic time on the order of that required to diffuse 0.15 sphere diameters with similar behavior found for computer simulations. The method is potentially useful for studying the internal migrations in more complicated systems such as sandstones or other porous media.     

一种热转印色素的1H、13C NMR研究

报道了一种热转印色带用黄染料的¹H、¹³C NMR , 应用¹H NMR、¹³C NMR、定量碳谱、DEPT、¹H-¹H COSY、HMQC、HMBC等确定了其在氘代氯仿中的分子结构, 并对全部谱峰进行了归属, 探索了黄染料在氘代氯仿中的结构对¹³C、¹H NMR谱图化学位移及谱峰裂分的影响.      

一种环烯醚萜甙（8—O—acetyl—shanzhiside methylester）的2D NMR

利用二维核磁共振技术对从独一味植物中分离的的环烯醚萜甙化合物进行了＾１Ｈ和＾１３Ｃ ＮＭＲ的归属，并确定其糖与甙的接点。     

NOE和二维NMR技术在倍半萜化学位移归属中的应用

本文用NOE和二维核磁共振技术-COSY,C-H化学位移相关,C-H远程化学位移相关(COLOC),DEPT对二个倍半萜分子的立体化学结构进行了研究,并对其¹H和¹³C化学位移进行了归属。     

核磁共振二维谱反演技术综述

二维谱的出现是核磁共振（NMR）检测技术的一次飞跃,从二维谱中可以快速、精确地对不同组分进行区分,因而在测录井和常规实验中被广泛采用. 为了给相关研究提供借鉴和参考,推动二维反演技术的发展,该文对近年来国内外在核磁共振二维谱反演技术领域的研究进展进行了综述. 从实验采集数据中反演出二维谱的过程,比一维反演需要解决更多、更复杂的问题. 通过研究罚函数正则化和子空间正则化两大类方法,分析了不同二维反演算法的优点和不足. 根据对近年来国内外相关文献的深入分析可知,虽说目前已有的二维反演算法都存在一定的局限性,但其仍然具有很大的发展空间.     

Distributions of transverse relaxation times for soft-solids measured in strongly inhomogeneous magnetic fields

The single-sided NMR-MOUSE sensor that operates in highly inhomogeneous magnetic fields is used to record a CPMG ¹H transverse relaxation decay by CPMG echo trains for a series of cross-linked natural rubber samples. Effective transverse relaxation rates 1/T_2,short and 1/T_2,long were determined by a bi-exponential fit. A linear dependence of transverse relaxation rates on cross-link density is observed for medium to large values of cross-link density. As an alternative to multi-exponential fits the possibility to analyze the dynamics of soft polymer network in terms of multi-exponential decays via the inverse Laplace transformation was studied. The transient regime and the effect of the T₁/T₂ ratio in inhomogeneous static and radiofrequency magnetic fields on the CPMG decays were studied numerically using a dedicated C++ program to simulate the temporal and spatial dependence of the CPMG response. A correction factor T₂/T_2,eff is derived as a function of the T₁/T₂ ratio from numerical simulations and compared with earlier results from two different well logging devices. High-resolution T₁–T₂ correlations maps are obtained by two-dimensional Laplace inversion of CPMG detected saturation recovery curves. The T₁–T₂ experimental correlations maps were corrected for the T₁/T₂ effect using the derived T₂/T_2,eff correction factor.     

Two-Dimensional NMR Spectroscopy in Complete Analysis of the 1H and 13C NMR Spectra of the Ionophore A 23187 and its Calcium Salt

The complete assignment of the proton carbon spectra of the A 23187 Ionophore and its calcium salt is presented.