Multiple-pulse sequence broadband experiments

Multiple-pulse sequences are indispensable tools for the practical implementation of Hartmann-Hahn experiments in liquid state NMR. They often consist of thousands of defined rf pulses with or without intermediate delays and allow one to create a desired form of the effective Hamiltonian for a given class of spin systems. In the field of high-resolu-tion NMR, multiple-pulse sequences are also used for broadband het-eronuclear decoupling (Levitt et al., 1983 Shaka and Keeler, 1986). Composite pulses (Levitt, 1986) and shaped pulses (Warren and Silver, 1988 Freeman, 1991 Kessler et al., 1991) may be considered as special classes of multiple-pulse sequences. 

In this chapter multiple-pulse sequences for homonudear Hartmann-Hahn transfer are discussed. After a summary of broadband Hartmann-Hahn mixing sequences for total correlation spectroscopy (TOCSY), variants of these experiments that are compensated for crossrelaxation (clean TOCSY) are reviewed. Then, selective and semiselective homonudear Hartmann-Hahn sequences for tailored correlation spectroscopy (TACSY) are discussed. In contrast to TOCSY experiments, where Hartmann-Hahn transfer is allowed between all spins that are part of a coupling network, coherence transfer in TACSY experiments is restricted to selected subsets of spins. Finally, exclusive TACSY (E.TACSY) mixing sequences that not only restrict coherence transfer to a subset of spins, but also leave the polarization state of a second subset of spins untouched, are reviewed. 

Only recently, new multiple-pulse sequences that were developed specifically for broadband heteronuclear Hartmann-Hahn experiments in liquids were reported. The SHR-1 sequence developed by Sunitha Bai et al. (1994) consists of a windowless phase-alternated composite pulse R, which is expanded according to the MLEV-8 supercycle. R was optimized based on a phase-distortionless single-spin 180° composite pulse and is related to the composite pulses used in DIPSI-1 (Shaka et al., 1988) and the composite pulses in the homonuclear IICT-1 sequence (Sunitha Bai and Ramachandran, 1993). The bandwidth of the SHR-1 sequence is comparable to the bandwidth of DIPSI-3, albeit with a slightly reduced transfer efficiency (Sunitha Bai et al., 1994 Fig. 33F). 

Broadband Hartmann-Hahn sequences, such as DIPSI-2 or WALTZ-16, can be made band-selective by reducing the rf amplitude of the sequences (Brown and Sanctuary, 1991). Richardson et al. (1993) used a low-amplitude WALTZ-17 sequence for band-selective heteronuclear Hartmann-Hahn transfer between N and in order to minimize simultaneous homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn transfer between and The DIPSI-2 sequence was successfully used by Gardner and Coleman (1994) for band-selective Hartmann-Hahn transfer between C d and H spins. So far, no crafted multiple-pulse sequences have been reported that were optimized specifically for band-selective heteronuclear Hartmann-Hahn transfer. Based on the results of Section X, it is expected that such sequences with well defined regions for coherence transfer and effective homonuclear decoupling will result in increased sensitivity of band-selective heteronuclear Hartmann-Hahn experiments. 

Fig. 10.14. Gradient-enhanced HMQC pulse sequence described in 1991 by Hurd and John derived from the earlier non-gradient experiment of Bax and Subramanian. For 1H-13C heteronuclear shift correlation, the gradient ratio, G1 G2 G3 should be 2 2 1 or a comparable ratio. The pulses sequence creates heteronuclear multiple quantum of orders zero and two with the application of the 90° 13C pulse. The multiple quantum coherence evolves during the first half of ti. The 180° proton pulse midway through the evolution period decouples proton chemical shift evolution and interchanges the zero and double quantum coherence terms. Antiphase proton magnetization is created by the second 90° 13C pulse that is refocused during the interval A prior to detection and the application of broadband X-decoupling.

The INEPT (Insensitive Nuclei Enhanced by Polarization Transfer) experiment [6, 7] was the first broadband pulsed experiment for polarization transfer between heteronuclei, and has been extensively used for sensitivity enhancement and for spectral editing. For spectral editing purposes in carbon-13 NMR, more recent experiments such as DEPT, SEMUT [8] and their various enhancements [9] are usually preferable, but because of its brevity and simplicity INEPT remains the method of choice for many applications in sensitivity enhancement, and as a building block in complex pulse sequences with multiple polarization transfer steps. The potential utility of INEPT in inverse mode experiments, in which polarization is transferred from a low magnetogyric ratio nucleus to protons, was recognized quite early [10]. The principal advantage of polarization transfer over methods such as heteronuclear spin echo difference spectroscopy is the scope it offers for presaturation of the unwanted proton signals, which allows clean spec-... 

Check it 5.2.6.16 also illustrates that the PENDANT+ sequence should be used for coupled spectra of CH groups which exhibit homonuclear J(H, H) coupling. In contrast to the PENDANT+ experiment, under these conditions the conventional PENDANT spectrum displays considerable lineshape distortion that cannot be corrected. These lineshape distortions can be traced back to underlying antiphase zero quantum coherences of the order I Sx or I Sy (I = H, S = l c) which are transferred by the IH purge pulse of the improved sequence to undetectable multiple quantum coherences. Broadband IH decoupling during acquisition destroys this antiphase coherence such that only very minor differences are apparent when comparing the decoupled versions of the experiment. 

---