Proton NMR relaxation studies on several nitroxyl-water systems

Proton spin-lattice and spin-spin relaxation times of several nitroxyl radicals in aqueous solutions have been measured between 10 kHz and 90 MHz. There are two regions where the relaxation times of the solvent water protons are frequency dependent. It is possible to extract from these experimental data structural and dynamical parameters such as the number of solvated water protons and/or their mean lifetime in the first hydration sphere around the paramagnetic center. These results were found to differ considerably from corresponding data reported in the literature which have been deduced mainly from chemical shift measurements. To whom correspondence should be addressed.     

Nuclear magnetic relaxation in water revisited

In this study, we revisited nuclear magnetic relaxation of (1)H in water at very low Larmor frequencies that has been studied intensively in earlier years. We make use of the recently developed superconducting quantum interference device based ultra-low field NMR technique, which enables much easier access to the longitudinal spin-lattice relaxation time T(1) and the transversal spin-spin relaxation time T(2) below several kHz than traditional field cycling methods. Our data reproduce and complement the earlier results, in that they corroborate the finding of an exchange process with a correlation time of about 0.34 ms at room temperature which can be attributed to the migration of hydronium and hydroxyl ions in neutral water via hydrogen bridges. The corresponding relaxation process is driven by the interaction of the protons with (17)O and contributes to the T(1) and the T(2) relaxation rate by about 0.12 s(-1). In addition, we found evidence of a very slow exchange process at about 100 Hz that has hitherto not been reported.     

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.     

Multiexponential electronic spin relaxation and Redfield's limit in Gd(III) complexes in solution: consequences for 17O/1H NMR and EPR simultaneous analysis

Multiple experiments (17O NMR, 1H NMR, and EPR) have been performed in the past to understand the microscopic parameters that control the magnetic relaxation rate enhancement induced by paramagnetic molecules on neighboring water protons, the so-called relaxivity. The generally accepted theories of the electron spin relaxation of S = 7/2 ions such as Gd3+ (Solomon-Bloembergen-Morgan or simplified Hudson-Lewis) are unsatisfactory for a simultaneous analysis. Recently, an improved theory, where the electron spin relaxation is due to the combination of a static (thus explicitly linked to the molecular structure) and a dynamic zero field splitting, has been developed and tested on experimental EPR data. The model has also been extended beyond the electronic Redfield limit using Monte Carlo simulations. Using the aqua ion [Gd(H2O)8]3+ as a test case, we present here the first simultaneous analysis of 17O NMR, 1H NMR, and EPR relaxation data using this rigorous approach of the electron spin relaxation. We discuss the physical meaning of the calculated parameters. The consequences on future experiments are also considered, especially regarding the analysis of nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion (NMRD) profiles in the study of Gd3+ complexes.     

Molecular exchange dynamics in partially filled microscale and nanoscale pores of silica glasses studied by field-cycling nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry

Nuclear magnetic spin-lattice relaxation experiments have been performed in partially filled porous glasses with wetting and nonwetting fluids. The frequency dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation rate in Vycor (4 nm pores) and VitraPOR #5 (1 microm pores) silica glasses was studied as a function of the filling degree with the aid of field-cycling NMR relaxometry. The species of primary interest were water ("polar") and cyclohexane ("nonpolar"). Spin-lattice relaxation was examined in the frequency range from 1 kHz to 400 MHz with the aid of a field-cycling NMR relaxometer and an ordinary 400 MHz NMR spectrometer. Three different mobility states of the fluid molecules are distinguished: The adsorbed state at the pore walls, the bulklike liquid phase, and the vapor phase. The adsorbate spin-lattice relaxation rate is dominated by the "reorientation mediated by translational displacements" (RMTD) mechanism taking place at the adsorbate/matrix interface at frequencies low enough to neglect rotational diffusion of the molecules. The experimental data are analyzed in terms of molecular exchange between the different mobility states. Judged from the dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation rates on the filling degree, limits for slow and fast exchange (relative to the RMTD time scale) can be distinguished and identified. It is concluded that water always shows the features of slow exchange irrespective of the investigated pore sizes and filling degrees. This is in contrast to cyclohexane which is subject to slow exchange in micrometer pores, whereas fast exchange occurs in nanoscopic pores. The latter case implies that the vapor phase contributes to molecular dynamics in this case at low filling degrees while it is negligible otherwise.     

Detection of short-lived transient protein-protein interactions by intermolecular nuclear paramagnetic relaxation: plastocyanin from Anabaena variabilis

An NMR approach is presented that provides detailed information about short-lived, transient interactions between protein molecules in solution. The approach is based on the longitudinal paramagnetic relaxation rates of the protein nuclei and requires that at least one of the interacting molecules is paramagnetic. The specific interactions are monitored by the intermolecular paramagnetic contribution to the relaxation of protons at or close to the interaction surface. By applying the approach to plastocyanin from Anabaena variabilis, specific regions of interaction that may be involved in the electron self-exchange process of this plastocyanin were identified. This is in accord with recent 15N NMR relaxation studies of the backbone dynamics of Anabaena variabilis plastocyanin, with site-directed mutagenesis studies of the functional importance of the corresponding regions in Phormidium laminosum plastocyanin and with the crystal packing surface of P. laminosum plastocyanin.     

1H and (17)O NMR detection of a lanthanide-bound water molecule at ambient temperatures in pure water as solvent

Lanthanide complexes of a tetra-amide derivative of DOTA (structure 4 in text) with four extended carboxymethyl esters have been characterized by X-ray crystallography and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. [Eu(4)(H(2)O)](triflate)(3) crystallized from water in the monoclinic, P(21/)(c) space group (a = 10.366 A, b = 22.504 A, c = 23.975 A, and beta = 97.05 degrees ). The Eu(3+) cation is bound to four macrocyclic nitrogen atoms (mean Eu-N = 2.627 A) and four amide oxygen atoms (mean Eu-O(amide) = 2.335 A) in a square antiprismatic geometry with a twist angle of 38.5 degrees between the N4 and O4 planes. A single bound water molecule (Eu-O(W) = 2.414 A) occupies a typical monocapped position on the O4 surface. In pure water, resonances corresponding to a single Eu(3+)-bound water molecule were observed in the (1)H (53 ppm) and (17)O (-897 ppm) NMR spectra of [Eu(4)(H(2)O)](triflate)(3) at 25 degrees C. A fit of the temperature-dependent Eu(3+)-bound (1)H and (17)O water resonance line widths in acetonitrile-d(3) (containing 4% v/v (17)O enriched water) gave identical lifetimes (tau(m)(298)) of 789 +/- 50 micros (in water as solvent; a line shape analysis of the Eu(3+)-bound water resonance gave a tau(m)(298) = 382 +/- 5 micros). Slow water exchange was also evidenced by the water proton relaxivity of Gd(4) (R(1) = 2.2 mM(-1) s(-1), a value characteristic of pure outer-sphere relaxation at 25 degrees C). With increasing temperature, the inner-sphere contribution gradually increased due to accelerated chemical exchange between bound water and bulk water protons. A fitting of the relaxation data (T(1)) to standard SBM theory gave a water proton lifetime (tau(m)(298)) of 159 micros, somewhat shorter than the value determined by high-resolution (1)H and (17)O NMR of Eu(4). Exchange of the bound water protons in Gd(4) with bulk water protons was catalyzed by addition of exogenous phosphate at 25 degrees C (R(1) increased to 10.0 mM(-1) s(-1) in the presence of 1500-fold excess HPO(4)(2-)).     

How does internal motion influence the relaxation of the water protons in Ln(III)DOTA-like complexes?

Taking advantage of the Curie contribution to the relaxation of the protons in the Tb(III) complex, and the quadrupolar relaxation of the 17O and 2H nuclei on the Eu(III) complex, the effect of the internal motion of the water molecule bound to [Ln(DOTAM)(H2O)]3+ complexes was quantified. The determination of the quadrupolar coupling constant of the bound water oxygen chi(Omicron)(1 + eta(Omicron)2/3)1/2 = 5.2 +/- 0.5 MHz allows a new analysis of the 17O and 1H NMR data of the [Gd(DOTA)(H2O)]- complex with different rotational correlation times for the Gd(III)-O(water) and Gd(III)-H(water) vectors. The ratio of the rotational correlation times for the Ln(III)-H(water) vector and the overall rotational correlation time is calculated tau(RH)/tau(RO) = 0.65 +/- 0.2. This could have negative consequences on the water proton relaxivity, which we discuss in particular for macromolecular systems. It appears that the final effect is actually attenuated and should be around 10% for such large systems undergoing local motion of the chelating groups.     

An investigation of the hydrogen-bonding structure in bilirubin by 1H double-quantum magic-angle spinning solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

The complex hydrogen-bonding arrangement in the biologically important molecule bilirubin IXalpha is probed by using 1H double-quantum (DQ) magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy. Employing fast MAS (30 kHz) and a high magnetic field (16.4 T), three low-field resonances corresponding to the different hydrogen-bonding protons are resolved in a 1H MAS NMR spectrum of bilirubin. These resonances are assigned on the basis of the proton-proton proximities identified from a two-dimensional rotor-synchronized 1H DQ MAS NMR spectrum. An analysis of 1H DQ MAS spinning-sideband patterns for the NH protons in bilirubin allows the quantitative determination of proton-proton distances and the geometry. The validity of this procedure is proven by simulated spectra for a model three-spin system, which show that the shortest distance can be determined to a very high degree of accuracy. The distance between the lactam and pyrrole NH protons in bilirubin is determined to be 0.186 +/- 0.002 nm (corresponding to a dominant dipolar coupling constant of 18.5 +/- 0.5 kHz). The analysis also yields a distance between the lactam NH and carboxylic acid OH protons of 0.230 +/- 0.008 nm (corresponding to a perturbing dipolar coupling constant of 9.9 +/- 1.0 kHz) and an H-H-H angle of 122 +/- 4 degrees. Finally, a comparison of 1H DQ MAS spinning-sideband patterns for bilirubin and its dimethyl ester reveals a significantly longer distance between the two NH protons in the latter case.     

Low-load rotor-synchronised Hahn-echo pulse train (RS-HEPT) 1H decoupling in solid-state NMR: factors affecting MAS spin-echo dephasing times

Transverse dephasing times T(2)' in spin-echo MAS NMR using rotor-synchronised Hahn-echo pulse-train (RS-HEPT) low-load (1)H decoupling are evaluated. Experiments were performed at 300 and 600 MHz for (13)CH-labelled L-alanine and (15)NH(delta)-labelled L-histidine.HCl.H(2)O, together with SPINEVOLUTION simulations for a ten-spin system representing the crystal structure environment of the (13)CH carbon in L-alanine. For 30 kHz MAS and nu(1)((1)H) = 100 kHz at 300 MHz, a RS-HEPT T(2)' value of 17 +/- 1 ms was obtained for (13)CH-labelled L-alanine which is approximately 50% of the XiX T(2)' value of 33 +/- 2 ms. Optimum RS-HEPT decoupling performance is observed for a relative phase of alternate RS-HEPT pi-pulses, Deltaphi = phi'- phi, between 40 and 60 degrees . For experiments at 600 MHz and 30 kHz MAS with (13)CH-labelled L-alanine, the best RS-HEPT (nu(1)((1)H) = 100 kHz) T(2)' value was 3 times longer than that observed for low-power continuously applied sequences with nu(1)((1)H) < or =40 kHz, i.e. corresponding to the same average power dissipated in the probe. A marked improvement in RS-HEPT (1)H decoupling is observed for increasing MAS frequency: at 55.6 kHz MAS, a best RS-HEPT T(2)' value of 34 +/- 5 ms was recorded for (13)CH-labelled L-alanine. Much improved RS-HEPT broadband performance was also observed at 55.6 kHz MAS as compared to 30 kHz MAS.     

Low-frequency cooperative dynamics in L-, D-, and DL-alanine crystals: a 13C and 15N cross-polarization magic-angle-spinning NMR study

Knowledge of the dynamical changes in molecular configurations in various amino acid structures over a wide range of time scales is important since such changes may influence the structural transformations and the diverse biological functionalities of proteins. Using the temperature dependence of the rotating-frame NMR spin-lattice relaxation times T(1rho) of protons as a probe, we have investigated the low-frequency (approximately 60-100 kHz) dynamics in the crystal structures of L-, D-, and DL- alanine (C(12)H(28)O(8)N(4)) polymorphs. The proton relaxation times T(1rho) were obtained from (13)C <-- (1)H and (15)N <-- (1)H cross-polarization magic-angle-spinning NMR experiments over a temperature range of 192-342 K. The data reveal that the time scales of these low-frequency dynamical processes are distinctly different from the localized, high-frequency rotational motion of methyl and amine groups. The strongly asymmetric T(1rho) versus temperature curves and the subtle dynamical differences between the DL-alanine and the L- and d-enantiomorphs indicate that these low-frequency processes are cooperative in nature and are sensitive to molecular packing.     

Intermolecular relaxation in glycerol as revealed by field cycling 1H NMR relaxometry dilution experiments

(1)H spin-lattice relaxation rates R(1) = 1/T(1) have been measured for partly deuterated glycerol-h(5) diluted in fully deuterated glycerol-h(0) for progressively lower concentrations of glycerol-h(5). By means of the field cycling (FC) technique relaxation dispersion data, R(1)(ω), have been collected for several temperatures in the frequency range of 10 kHz-20 MHz. In order to disclose the spectral shape of the intra- and intermolecular relaxation, extrapolation of the relaxation data to the zero concentration limit has been performed. The paper confirms that the low frequency excess contribution to the total relaxation rate R(1)(ω) previously reported for several liquids is of intermolecular origin and reflects translational motion, whereas the high-frequency part is attributed to molecular rotation. Thus, intra- and intermolecular relaxation contributions are spectrally separated. The intermolecular relaxation itself contains also a contribution from rotational motion, which is due to non-central positions of the interacting nuclei in the molecule. This eccentricity effect is quantitatively reproduced by treating the intermolecular spectral density as a sum of translational-like (described by the free diffusion model) and rotational-like contributions (described by a Cole-Davidson function). Applying frequency-temperature superposition master curves as well as individual relaxation dispersion data, R(1)(ω), are analyzed. It is demonstrated that, in spite of the rotational influence, the translational diffusion coefficients, D(T), can be extracted from the (1)H relaxation dispersion which gives (1)H NMR relaxometry the potential to become a routine technique determining the diffusion coefficient in liquids.     

Molecular dynamics in paramagnetic materials as studied by magic-angle spinning 2H NMR spectra

A magic-angle spinning (MAS) 2H NMR experiment was applied to study the molecular motion in paramagnetic compounds. The temperature dependences of 2H MAS NMR spectra were measured for paramagnetic [M(H2O)6][SiF6] (M=Ni2+, Mn2+, Co2+) and diamagnetic [Zn(H2O)6][SiF6]. The paramagnetic compounds exhibited an asymmetric line shape in 2H MAS NMR spectra because of the electron-nuclear dipolar coupling. The drastic changes in the shape of spinning sideband patterns and in the line width of spinning sidebands due to the 180 degrees flip of water molecules and the reorientation of [M(H2O)6]2+ about its C3 axis were observed. In the paramagnetic compounds, paramagnetic spin-spin relaxation and anisotropic g-factor result in additional linebroadening of each of the spinning sidebands. The spectral simulation of MAS 2H NMR, including the effects of paramagnetic shift and anisotropic spin-spin relaxation due to electron-nuclear dipolar coupling and anisotropic g-factor, was performed for several molecular motions. Information about molecular motions in the dynamic range of 10(2) s(-1)相似文献   

Elucidation of the solution structure and water-exchange mechanism of paramagnetic [Fe(II)(edta)(H(2)O)](2-)

The lability and structural dynamics of [Fe(II)(edta)(H(2)O)](2-) (edta = ethylenediaminetetraacetate) in aqueous solution strongly depend on solvent interactions. To study the solution structure and water-exchange mechanism, (1)H, (13)C, and (17)O NMR techniques were applied. The water-exchange reaction was studied through the paramagnetic effect of the complex on the relaxation rate of the (17)O nucleus of the bulk water. In addition to variable-temperature experiments, high-pressure NMR techniques were applied to elucidate the intimate nature of the water-exchange mechanism. The water molecule in the seventh coordination site of the edta complex is strongly labilized, as shown by the water-exchange rate constant of (2.7 +/- 0.1) x 106 s(-1) at 298.2 K and ambient pressure. The activation parameters DeltaH(not equal), DeltaS(not equal), and DeltaV(not equal) were found to be 43.2 +/- 0.5 kJ mol(-1), +23 +/- 2 J K(-1) mol(-1), and +8.6 +/- 0.4 cm(3) mol(-1), respectively, in line with a dissociatively activated interchange (Id) mechanism. The scalar coupling constant (A/h) for the Fe(II)-O interaction was found to be 10.4 MHz, slightly larger than the value A/h = 9.4 MHz for this interaction in the hexa-aqua Fe(II) complex. The solution structure and dynamics of [Fe(II)(edta)(H(2)O)](2-) were clarified by (1)H and (13)C NMR experiments. The complex undergoes a Delta,Lambda-isomerization process with interconversion of in-plane (IP) and out-of-plane (OP) positions. Acetate scrambling was also found in an NMR study of the corresponding NO complex, [Fe(III)(edta)(NO(-))](2-).     

Double quantum 1H MAS NMR studies of hydrogen-bonded protons and water dynamics in materials

Two-dimensional double quantum (DQ) 1H MAS NMR was used to investigate different proton environments in a series of alkali (Na, K, Rb, Cs) [Nb6O19]8- Lindqvist salts, with the water and hydrogen-bound intercluster protons being clearly resolved. Through the analysis of the DQ 1H NMR spinning sideband pattern, it is possible to extract both the mean and distribution of the motionally averaged intramolecular homonuclear 1H-1H dipolar coupling for the different water environments and the intercluster protons. Motional order parameters for the water environments were then calculated from the averaged dipolar couplings. The influence of additional intermolecular dipolar couplings due to multispin interactions were simulated and discussed.     

Enhanced sensitivity and resolution in (1)H solid-state NMR spectroscopy of paramagnetic complexes under very fast magic angle spinning

High-resolution NMR spectroscopy for paramagnetic complexes in solids has been rarely performed because of its limited sensitivity and resolution due to large paramagnetic shifts and associated technical difficulties. The present study demonstrates that magic angle spinning (MAS) at speeds exceeding 20 kHz provides unusually high sensitivity and excellent resolution in 1H solid-state NMR (SSNMR) for paramagnetic systems. Spinning-speed dependence of 1H MAS spectra showed that very fast MAS (VFMAS) at 24-28 kHz enhanced sensitivity by a factor of 12-18, compared with the sensitivity of 1H SSNMR spectra under moderate MAS at 10 kHz, for Cu(dl-alanine)2.H2O and Mn(acac)3, for which the spectral ranges due to 1H paramagnetic shifts reach 200 and 1000 ppm, respectively. It was theoretically and experimentally confirmed that the absolute sensitivity of 1H VFMAS for small paramagnetic complexes such as Cu(dl-alanine)2 can be an order of magnitude higher than that of equimolar diamagnetic ligands because of short 1H T1 ( approximately 1 ms) of the paramagnetic systems and improved sensitivity under VFMAS. On the basis of this demonstrated high sensitivity, 1H SSNMR micro analysis of paramagnetic systems in a nanomole scale is proposed. Applications were performed on two polymorphs of Cu(II)(8-quinolinol)2, which is a suppressor of human cancer cells. It was demonstrated that 1H VFMAS SSNMR spectra accumulated for 20 nmol of the polycrystalline samples in 10 min enabled one to distinguish alpha- and beta-forms of Cu(II)(8-quinolinol)2 on the basis of shift positions and line widths.     

Intermolecular nuclear relaxation in paramagnetic solutions: from free radicals to rare earths

The principles of the intermolecular relaxation of a nuclear spin by its fluctuating magnetic dipolar interactions with the electronic spins of the paramagnetic surrounding species in solution are briefly recalled. It is shown that a very high dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) of solvent protons is obtained by saturating allowed transitions of free radicals with a hyperfine structure, and that this effect can be used in efficient Earth field magnetometers. Recent work on trivalent lanthanide Ln³⁺ aqua complexes in heavy water solutions is discussed, including paramagnetic shift and relaxation rate measurements of the ¹H NMR lines of probe solutes. This allows a determination of the effective electronic magnetic moments of the various Ln³⁺ ions in these complexes, and an estimation of their longitudinal and transverse electronic relaxation times T_1e and T_2e. Particular attention is given to Gd(III) hydrated chelates which can serve as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The full experimental electronic paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of these complexes can be interpreted within the Redfield relaxation theory. Monte-Carlo simulations are used to explore situations beyond the validity of the Redfield approximation. For each Gd(III) complex, the EPR study leads to an accurate prediction of T_1e, which can be also derived from an independent relaxation dispersion study of the protons of the probe solutes.     

Sensitivity enhancement and heteronuclear distance measurements in biological 17O solid-state NMR

In this contribution we present a comprehensive approach to study hydrogen bonding in biological and biomimetic systems through 17O and 17O-1H solid-state NMR combined with density functional theory calculations of 17O and 1H NMR parameters. We explore the signal enhancement of 17O in L-tyrosine.HCl using repetitive double-frequency swept radio frequency pulses in solid-state NMR. The technique is compatible with high magnetic fields and fast magic-angle spinning of the sample. A maximum enhancement by a factor of 4.3 is obtained in the signal-to-noise ratio of the selectively excited 17O central transition in a powdered sample of 17Oeta-L-tyrosine.HCl at an external field of 14.1 T and a spinning frequency of 25 kHz. As little as 128 transients lead to meaningful 17O spectra of the same sample at an external field of 18.8 T and a spinning frequency of 50 kHz. Furthermore we employed supercycled symmetry-based pulse sequences on the protons to achieve heteronuclear longitudinal two-spin-order (IzSz) recoupling to determine 17O-1H distances. These sequences recouple the heteronuclear dipolar 17O-1H couplings, where dipolar truncation is absent, while decoupling the homonuclear proton dipolar interactions. They can be applied at fast magic-angle-spinning frequencies up and beyond 50 kHz and are very robust with respect to 17O quadrupolar couplings and both 17O and 1H chemical shift anisotropies, which makes them suitable for the use at high external magnetic fields. The method is demonstrated by determining the 17Oeta-1H distance in L-tyrosine.HCl at a spinning frequency of 50 kHz and an external field of 18.8 T.     

Hydrogen nuclear spin relaxation in hydrogen-ice clathrate

H2 in D2O ice clathrate has been studied by hydrogen NMR. In a previous report, the H2 line shape was shown to be due to incompletely averaged intramolecular dipolar interactions. Here the relaxation times T1, T1rho, and T2 are reported. T1 passes through a minimum at 10 K, indicating that the rotational transition rate Gamma between the three sublevels of J = 1 passes through the resonance frequency at this temperature. On the cold side, T1 varies as T(-2.6); on the hot side, the rate T1(-1) varies as T(-2) plus a constant (due to paramagnetic impurities). These indicate a two-phonon process drives the rotational transitions Gamma. The spin-echo T2 is nearly independent of temperature and in reasonable agreement with the Van Vleck intermolecular H2-H2 second moment. T1rho deviates from the expected T1rho = T1 behavior above 85 K, revealing an additional slow-motion source of relaxation. The deviation is driven by the hopping of H2 between large cages. Ortho-para conversion is measured to be much slower in the clathrate than in the bulk solid, reflecting the greater distances between the H2 molecules.