An improved 33S nuclear magnetic shielding scale from the gas‐phase study of COS

The ³³S NMR signal of gaseous carbonyl sulfide (COS) was monitored as a function of density for the first time. An extrapolation to the zero‐density limit permitted the measurement of nuclear magnetic shielding of an isolated COS molecule. An improved ³³S shielding scale was established taking the value of 817(12) ppm as the absolute shielding of COS. The new ³³S shielding scale is certainly more accurate than any previous estimation and contains some reference standards, e.g. an isolated SF₆ molecule, a saturated solution of (NH₄)₂SO₄ in D₂O, 2 M aqueous Cs₂SO₄ solution or liquid SF₆, CS₂ and SO₂. The latter results can be applied for the easy estimation of sulfur shielding available from all the measurements of ³³S NMR chemical shifts. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.