13C N.M.R. and 14N N.Q.R. in ferroelectric liquid crystals Polar versus quadrupolar ordering

¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance and ¹⁴N nuclear quadrupole resonance spectra of ferroelectric smectic C*liquid crystals and their non-chiral analogues allow for a microscopic determination of the polar and quadrupolar (or bipolar) biasing of rotation around the long molecular axis as well as for a determination of the anisotropy in the fluctuations of this axis. The results show that the microscopic origin of the biquadratic coupling between the polarization and the tilt, which has been recently introduced into the extended Landau model of the S_A-S*_C transition, is the quadrupolar (or bipolar) rotational bias induced by the anisotropy in the fluctuations of the long molecular axis. The tilt induced anisotropy in the fluctuations is practically identical in chiral and non-chiral smectic C phases.     

13C N.M.R. and 14N N.Q.R. in ferroelectric liquid crystals Polar versus quadrupolar ordering

Abstract

¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance and ¹⁴N nuclear quadrupole resonance spectra of ferroelectric smectic C?liquid crystals and their non-chiral analogues allow for a microscopic determination of the polar and quadrupolar (or bipolar) biasing of rotation around the long molecular axis as well as for a determination of the anisotropy in the fluctuations of this axis. The results show that the microscopic origin of the biquadratic coupling between the polarization and the tilt, which has been recently introduced into the extended Landau model of the S_A–S?_C transition, is the quadrupolar (or bipolar) rotational bias induced by the anisotropy in the fluctuations of the long molecular axis. The tilt induced anisotropy in the fluctuations is practically identical in chiral and non-chiral smectic C phases.     

N. M. R. coupling constants

Approximate ab-initio calculations of NMR coupling constants are reported, for a number of small molecules. The agreement with experiment is erratic, and is shown to depend critically on the form of the excited state wavefunctions. This suggests that the use of an average energy approximation is far from valid.

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Zusammenfassung NMR Kopplungskonstanten werden für eine Anzahl von kleinen Molekülen mitgeteilt, wobei sich keine rechte Übereinstimmung mit dem Experiment ergibt. Es zeigt sich, daß die Werte kritisch von der Form der Wellenfunktion für die angeregten Zustände abhängen. Das läßt vermuten, daß die Verwendung eines mittleren Energienenners nicht zu empfehlen ist.

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Résumé Calculs ab-initio approchés des constantes de couplage NMR d'un certain nombre de petites molécules. L'accord avec l'expérience est erratique et dépend d'une façon critique de la forme des fonctions d'onde excitées. Ceci suggère que l'emploi d'une approximation d'«énergie moyenne» est loin d'être valable.

     

29Si N.M.R. investigations of polysiloxanes

A number of side chain liquid crystal polysiloxanes prepared from both homo-and co-polymeric backbones have been studied by ²⁹Si N.M.R. and the chemical shifts assigned. Partly mesogenated poly(hydrogenmethylsiloxanes) have been similarly studied and chemical shift assignments made for sequence distributions. The data should prove helpful in studies of compositional variation in preparations of side chain copolymeric polysiloxanes.     

Relaxation dispersion and zero-field spectroscopy of thermotropic and lyotropic liquid crystals by fast field-cycling N.M.R.

Abstract

Systematic field-cycling measurements of the T ₁ relaxation dispersion in numerous nematic liquid crystals (azoxybenzenes, Schiff's bases, biphenyls, phenyl-cyclohexanes, cyclo-cyclo-hexanes) confirm our previous observations obtained for PAA and MBBA that order fluctuations of the nematic director are a significant relaxation contribution only at low Lamor frequencies v, i.e. far below the usual megahertz range. Their significance is demonstrated most convincingly by the characteristic square-root dispersion law, T ₁ ～ v ^1/2, which occurs in the kilohertz range and which completely disappears above the nematic–isotropic phase transition. The strength of the collective relaxation mechanism varies by more than two orders of magnitude in the sequence (selection) PAA-d ₈ PAA, PAA-d ₆ PAB, OCB7, MBBA, CB7, PCH7, MBBA-d ₆ MBBA-d ₁₃ and CCH7. This finding can be understood almost quantitatively by the widely differing separations and orientations of proton pairs on the molecules, together with the different viscoelastic parameters of the nematogens. In addition, the underlying slow molecular reorientations have been observed in MBBA and PAA by intensity changes of the zero-field spectra, which are absent for high-field measurements. Similarly, smectic type order fluctuations in layered liquid crystal structures prove to be an effective relaxation mechanism only at low Lamor frequencies. This has been verified by the related linear relaxation dispersion profile, T ₁ ～ v ¹, for both thermotropic systems (TBBA, C₁₂-AA) and lamellar lyotropic mixtures (e.g. potassium laurate in water and phospholipids in water). Our results concerning the time scale of the T ₁ ～ v ^1/2 and T ₁ ~ v ¹ regime do not agree with conclusions drawn from conventional high-field techniques.     

Proton N.M.R. lineshape in nematic microdroplets

The dependence of the proton N.M.R. absorption spectrum on nematic director configuration and molecular self-diffusion in nematic submicrondroplets is analysed. The lineshape is evaluated numerically for radial and bipolar director configuration. The motional averaging is taken into account by means of a numerical simulation of the molecular diffusion which induces slow molecular reorientations due to non-uniform orientational ordering in the droplet. This diffusion process strongly affects the absorption spectra of the radial configuration, whereas spectra of the bipolar configuration are only slightly influenced. The possibility of determinating the submicrometre nematic droplet structures using the proton N.M.R. lineshape is discussed.     

Proton N.M.R. lineshape in nematic microdroplets

The dependence of the proton N.M.R. absorption spectrum on nematic director configuration and molecular self-diffusion in nematic submicrondroplets is analysed. The lineshape is evaluated numerically for radial and bipolar director configuration. The motional averaging is taken into account by means of a numerical simulation of the molecular diffusion which induces slow molecular reorientations due to non-uniform orientational ordering in the droplet. This diffusion process strongly affects the absorption spectra of the radial configuration, whereas spectra of the bipolar configuration are only slightly influenced. The possibility of determinating the submicrometre nematic droplet structures using the proton N.M.R. lineshape is discussed.     

Deuteron N.M.R. relaxation studies of phospholipid membranes

Bilayers of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC), specifically deuteriated at various positions of the sn-2-chain, have been studied by N.M.R. relaxation methods. Analysis of the experiments, employing a density matrix treatment based on the stochastic Liouville equation, provides new information about the dynamic organization of the different membrane phases (liquid-crystalline, intermediate and gel phases). The complex molecular dynamics are characterized by a super-position of inter- and intramolecular motions, comprising overall reorientation of phospholipid molecules and trans-gauche isomerization of individual chain segments. In addition, there is evidence for two-site rotational jumps of the sn-2-chains in the plane of the membrane. The results clearly demonstrate the particular advantage of N.M.R. relaxation studies in characterizing complex chemical and biological systems.     

Deuteron N.M.R. relaxation studies of phospholipid membranes

Abstract

Bilayers of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC), specifically deuteriated at various positions of the sn-2-chain, have been studied by N.M.R. relaxation methods. Analysis of the experiments, employing a density matrix treatment based on the stochastic Liouville equation, provides new information about the dynamic organization of the different membrane phases (liquid-crystalline, intermediate and gel phases). The complex molecular dynamics are characterized by a super-position of inter- and intramolecular motions, comprising overall reorientation of phospholipid molecules and trans-gauche isomerization of individual chain segments. In addition, there is evidence for two-site rotational jumps of the sn-2-chains in the plane of the membrane. The results clearly demonstrate the particular advantage of N.M.R. relaxation studies in characterizing complex chemical and biological systems.     

Phosphorus-31 Fluorine-19 N.M.R. Through-Space Coupling

Abstract

Through-space coupling, which may be observed when NMR active nuclei are close in space, is additive to any through-bond coupling. The magnitude of the coupling via the through-space mechanism varies according to the element, its valency and the distance between the coupled atoms-independently of the number of bonds separating the coupled atoms. The couplings between carbon-bound fluorine and phosphorus (in its three valent three coordinate state) have been studied using a series of 0-(trifluoromethyl)phenylphosphanes (1). The phosphorusfluorine coupling is lowest (29. 6Hz) for the primary phosphine (1, Y = H). It is 43 Ha for the diethylamino derivative (1, R = Et₂N), rising to 53–56 Ha when Y is phenyl, heteroaromatic, alkyl and ethoxy groups, and then to 63 and 68 Hz for the phenoxy and fluoro derivatives. The PF coupling is largest (85–88 Hz) for the dichloro and dibromo compounds. The coupling constants are zero or close to aero for the corresponding salts, oxides and sulphides. The changes in the magnitude of the phoaphane couplings are discussed in terms of conformational and electronic influences on a through-space spin-spin coupling mechanism.     

C13 N.M.R. spectroscopy on butyltin compounds containing N-, O- and S- ligands.

¹³C NMR data are reported for a range of tributyl and dibutyl-tin complexes containing O, N and S ligands. The coupling constant J¹ appears to be indicative of the coordination state of the tin atom. Using J¹, shift values and other supporting evidence, structure for a number of the compounds are proposed.