Spectral function model, restricted

Up to this point only overall motion of the molecule has been considered, but often there is internal motion, in addition to overall molecular tumbling, which needs to be considered to obtain a correct expression for the spectral density function. Here we apply the model-free approach to treat internal motion where the unique information is specified by a generalized order parameter S, which is a measure of the spatial restriction of internal motion, and the effective correlation time re, which is a measure of the rate of internal motion [7, 8], The model-free approach only holds if internal motion is an order of magnitude (<0.3 ns) faster than overall reorientation and can therefore be separated from overall molecular tumbling. The spectral density has the following simple expression in the model-free formalism ... 

The MD simulations show that second shell water molecules exist and are distinct from freely diffusing bulk water. Freed s analytical force-free model can only be applied to water molecules without interacting force relative to the Gd-complex, it should therefore be restricted to water molecules without hydrogen bonds formed. Freed s general model [91,92] allows the calculation of NMRD profiles if the radial distribution function g(r) is known and if the fluctuation of the water-proton - Gd vector can be described by a translational motion. The potential of mean force in Eq. 24 is obtained from U(r) = -kBT In [g(r)] and the spectral density functions have to be calculated numerically [91,97]. 

Finally, restricted 7-motion within an apex angle 0o [Eq. (7.80)] has been employed to interpret [7.11] spectral densities of aromatic deuterons in the nematic and smectic A phases of 50.7-d4. Assuming that a-, and 7-motion are completely uncorrelated, and neglecting the -motion [i.e., set / (0) = /3 t)], the spectral densities were evaluated by describing the a-motion by a simplified model of uniaxial free rotational diffusion about the director and the 7-motion by the reduced correlated functions given in Eq. (7.80). It remains to be examined whether the anisotropic viscosity model in conjunction with restricted 7-motion [i.e., Eq. (7.82)] would be better in interpreting spectral densities of motion in various smectic phases. Also, there is still no convincing NMR evidence for biased 7-motion in nematic or smectic A phases. 

Specific models for internal motions can be used to interpret heteronuclear relaxation, such as restricted diffusion and site-jump models. However, model-free formal methods are preferable, at least for the initial analysis, since available experimental data generally are insufficient to completely characterize complex internal motions or to uniquely determine a specific motional model. The model-free approach of Lipari and Szabo for the analysis of relaxation data has been used for proteins and even for peptides. It attempts to reproduce relaxation rates by a weighted product of spectral density functions with different correlation times The weighting factors are identified as order parameters for the molecular rotational correlation time and optional further local correlation times r. The term (1-S ) would then be proportional to the amplitude of the corresponding internal motion. However, the Lipari-Szabo approach is based on the assumption that molecular and local correlation times are not coupled, i.e. they should be distinct enough (e.g. differing by at least a factor of 10 in time) to allow for this separation. However, in small molecules the rates of these different processes are of the same order of magnitude, and the requirements of the Lipari-Szabo approach may not be fulfilled. Molecular dynamics simulation provide a complementary approach for the interpretation of relaxation measurements. 

---