Correlation spectroscopy spin assignment

Eor a macromolecule such as a large protein, the steps in characterization involve, first, identification of the spin systems present, using correlated spectroscopy, and identification of neighboring amino acids. The long range noes are then assigned, and three bond coupling constants ate deterrnined. 

Two-Dimensional NMR—Basically, the two-dimensional NMR techniques of nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) and correlation spectroscopy (COSY) depend on the observation that spins on different protons interact with one another. Protons that are attached to adjacent atoms can be directly spin-coupled and thus can be studied using the COSY method. This technique allows assignment of certain NMR frequencies by tracking from one atom to another. The NOESY approach is based on the observation that two protons closer than about 0.5 nm perturb one another s spins even if they are not closely coupled in the primary structure. This allows spacial geometry to be determined for certain molecules. 

Further possibilities are offered by various two-dimensional NMR methods. For example, heteronuclear solid-state correlation spectroscopy (27) is capable of correlating the spectra of abundant and dilute spins in solids, simplifying spectral assignment and permitting determination of shielding tensors. Futhermore, spin diffusion among abundant spins can be directly observed by this method. 

In the early stage of development of NMR spectroscopy, the applicability of multi-dimensional approach was tested for condensed matter. Today, because of the excellent progress on this field, the "library" of different ND techniques used in SS NMR is pretty rich. On the basic level, these methods can be assigned to two groups homo- (HOMCOR) and heteronuclear correlations (HETCORs). Both correlations employ indirect (through-bond) or direct (through-space) coupling to correlate different spins. 

Prior to the advent of 2D methods, selective spin decoupling was used extensively in both proton NMR and in heteronuclear (especially 13C) NMR to ascertain which sets of nuclei contribute to observed spin coupling. Such information is critical to assignment of resonances and to the elucidation of the structure of an unknown molecule. 2D methods now largely supply this information much more efficiently, by correlations that depend on the existence of spin coupling. The homonuclear version of one such experiment is called COSY (correlation spectroscopy), and the heteronuclear version is known by several acronyms, most commonly HETCOR (lieferonuclear correlation). 

Mixing sequences for total through-bond correlation spectroscopy in solids (TOBSY) have been developed for fast MAS experiments. Possible sequences with the desired Hamiltonian (the homonuclear isotropic J interaction) have been identified using lowest order average Hamiltonian theory combined with numerical simulations as a function of the MAS frequency. An experimental TOBSY spectrum of a uniformly C-labelled decapeptide at 20 kHz MAS has been obtained using one of the new sequences. The spectrum allows to assign the resonances to the respective spin systems. 

The application of proton-driven CSA correlation spectroscopy to amino-acid specifically carboxylic-labeled spider silk [63] is shown in Fig. 4.11. Spider silk is known to consist of alanine- and glycine-rich domains [64, 65] and is known to be semicrystalline. The assignment of alanine to the (crystalline) /3-sheet domains [66] is clearly supported by the chemical-shift correlation spectrum of Fig. 4.11. Because the tensors in a j8-sheet structure are almost parallel, or antiparallel, with the tensors in spatial proximity, a diagonal spin-diffusion spectrum is expected for that structure and is indeed found. In contrast, the glycine spectrum shows considerable off-diagonal intensity. Simulations have shown that the spectrum is compatible with a local 3i-helical structure [63]. 

A number of papers have looked at the development of relationships between base stock composition as measured by NMR and either physi-cal/chemical properties or their performance.22 27 Most of this work has been focused on group II and III base stocks, with less or little attention paid to solvent extracted ones. These have all relied on various techniques to simplify the spectra and the assignments of peaks and make peak integration more reliable. These have many acronyms,23 for example, GASPE (gates spin echo), PCSE (proton coupled spin echo), INEPT (insensitive nuclei enhancement by polarization transfer), DEPT (distortionless enhancement by polarization), QUAT (quaternary-only carbon spectra), 2D COSY (two-dimensional homo-nuclear spectroscopy), and HETCOR (heteronuclear shift correlated spectroscopy)]. Table 4.10 provides an example of some of the chemical shift data generated26 and employed in this type of work, and Adhvaryu et al.25 were able to develop the correlations between base stock properties and carbon types in Table 4.11, whose main features correspond to intuition (e.g., the values of API and aniline points are both decreased by aromatic carbon and increased by the... 

Correlated spectroscopy (COSY) was among the first two-dimensional (2D) NMR experiment realized [447, 448] and it is still among the most useful NMR experiments. COSY generates cross peaks in the 2D spectrum at the intersection of resonances of coupled spins (Fig. 14.48). In proteins cross peaks are observed for gem-inal, i.e. over two bonds, and vicinal, i.e. over three bonds, protons and in small peptides also couplings over four bonds may be detected. Thus the COSY spectrum allows the identification of spin systems for the assignment. However, apart from peptides, the overlap and degeneracy in chemical shifts is likely to prevent one from obtaining entire spin systems exclusively from the COSY spectrum additional experiments are required. 

Total correlation spectroscopy (TOCSY) also known as homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn (HOHAHA) experiment provides all relayed connectivities within a spin system [453, 454). The primary intention in TOCSY as in other relayed experiments is to establish connectivities in less crowded spectral regions to facilitate the assignment of spin systems. 

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