Solid-state 13C NMR investigations of cyclophanes: [2.2]paracyclophane and 1,8-dioxa[8](2,7)pyrenophane.

Solid-state NMR (ssNMR) and ab initio quantum mechanical calculations are used in order to understand and to better characterize the molecular conformation and properties of [2.2]paracyclophane and 1,8-dioxa[8](2,7)pyrenophane. Both molecules are cyclophanes, consisting of an aromatic ring assembly and a cyclic aliphatic chain connected to both ends of the aromatic portion. The aliphatic chain causes curvature in the six-membered aromatic ring structures. This led us to examine how the ring strain due to curvature affects the chemical shifts. Using X-ray structures of both [2.2]paracyclophane and 1,8-dioxa[8](2,7)pyrenophane as our starting model, we calculate the chemical shielding tensors and compare these data with those collected from the (13)C ssNMR FIREMAT experiment. We define curvature of [2.2]paracyclophane and 1,8-dioxa[8](2,7)pyrenophane using the π-orbital axis vector (POAV) pyramidalization angle (θ(p)).

Solid-State NMR spectra and long, intra-dimer bonding in the pi-[TTF](2)(2+) (TTF = tetrathiafulvalene) dication.

The (13)C chemical-shift tensor principal values for TTF and pi-[TTF](2)(2+) (TTF = tetrathiafulvalene) dimer dications have been measured in order to better understand the electronic structure and long intradimer bonding of these TTF-based dimer structures. The structure of pi-[TTF](2)(2+) is abnormal due to its two C-C and four S-S ca. 3.4 A intradimer separations, which is less than the sum of the sulfur van der Waals radii, and has a singlet (1)A(1g) electronic ground state. This study of TTF and [TTF](2)(2+) was conducted to determine how the NMR chemical-shift tensor principal values change as a function of electronic structure. This study also establishes a better understanding of the interactions that lead to spin-pairing of the monomeric radical units. The density functional theory (DFT) calculated nuclear shielding tensors are correlated with the experimentally determined principal chemical-shift values. The embedded ion method (EIM) was used to investigate the electrostatic lattice potential in [TTF](2)(2+). These theoretical methods provide information on the tensor magnitudes and orientations of their tensor principal values with respect to the molecular frame. The experimental chemical-shift principal values agree with the calculated quantum mechanical chemical-shielding principal values, within typical errors commonly seen for this class of molecular system. Relatively weak Wiberg bond orders between the two [TTF](+) components of the dimer dication correlate with the long bonds linking the two [TTF](+) monomers and substantiate the claim that there is weak multicenter bonding present.

Solid-state 13C NMR investigations of 4,7-dihydro-1H-tricyclopenta[def,jkl,pqr]triphenylene (sumanene) and indeno[1,2,3-cd]fluoranthene: Buckminsterfullerene moieties.

4,7-Dihydro-1H-tricyclopenta[def,jkl,pqr]triphenylene (sumanene) and indeno[1,2,3-cd]fluoranthene (indenofluoranthene) are structural moieties related to Buckminsterfullerene (C(60)). As such, understanding their structural characteristics is of great interest because of the insight they shed upon C(60). Hence, solid-state NMR (ssNMR) and ab initio quantum mechanical calculations with Gaussian03 are used in order to understand and to better characterize the molecular conformation and properties of sumanene and indenofluoranthene. Sumanene has bowl shaped curvature in its natural conformation and indenofluoranthene is planar in its natural conformation, which led us to examine how altering the curvature affects the chemical shifts in relation to those of C(60). Using X-ray structures of both sumanene and indenofluoranthene as our starting model, we calculate the energy and chemical shielding tensors and compare these data with those collected utilizing the (13)C ssNMR FIREMAT experiment. We define curvature of sumanene and indenofluoranthene using the pi-orbital axis vector (POAV) pyramidalization angle (theta(p)). We calculate the energy of varying conformations of indenofluoranthene versus their theta(p) associated with each deformed conformation.

Redetermination of 1,4-dimethoxy-benzene.

The structure of the centrosymmetric title compound, C(8)H(10)O(2), originally determined by Goodwin et al. [Acta Cryst.(1950), 3, 279-284], has been redetermined to modern standards of precision to aid in its use as a model compound for (13)C chemical-shift tensor measurements in single-crystal NMR studies. In the crystal structure, a C-H⋯O inter-action helps to establish the packing.

Ring current effects in crystals. Evidence from 13C chemical shift tensors for intermolecular shielding in 4,7-di-t-butylacenaphthene versus 4,7-di-t-butylacenaphthylene.

13C chemical shift tensor data from 2D FIREMAT spectra are reported for 4,7-di-t-butylacenaphthene and 4,7-di-t-butylacenaphthylene. In addition, calculations of the chemical shielding tensors were completed at the B3LYP/6-311G** level of theory. While the experimental tensor data on 4,7-di-t-butylacenaphthylene are in agreement with theory and with previous data on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the experimental and theoretical data on 4,7-di-t-butylacenaphthene lack agreement. Instead, larger than usual differences are observed between the experimental chemical shift components and the chemical shielding tensor components calculated on a single molecule of 4,7-di-t-butylacenaphthene, with a root mean square (rms) error of +/-7.0 ppm. The greatest deviation is concentrated in the component perpendicular to the aromatic plane, with the largest value being a 23 ppm difference between experiment and theory for the 13CH2 carbon delta11 component. These differences are attributed to an intermolecular chemical shift that arises from the graphitelike, stacked arrangement of molecules found in the crystal structure of 4,7-di-t-butylacenaphthene. This conclusion is supported by a calculation on a trimer of molecules, which improves the agreement between experiment and theory for this component by 14 ppm and reduces the overall rms error between experiment and theory to 4.0 ppm. This intermolecular effect may be modeled with the use of nuclei independent chemical shieldings (NICS) calculations and is also observed in the isotropic 1H chemical shift of the CH2 protons as a 4.2 ppm difference between the solution value and the solid-state chemical shift measured via a 13C-1H heteronuclear correlation experiment.

Solid-state 13C NMR and quantum chemical investigation of metal diene complexes.

This paper presents novel measurements and calculations of the olefinic (13)C chemical shift tensor principal values in several metal diene complexes. The experimental values and the calculations show shifts as large as 70 ppm with respect to the values in the parent olefinic compounds. These shifts are highly anisotropic, with the largest ones observed in the less shielded principal components and the smallest ones in the most shielded principal components of the tensor. The orientations of the principal components of the tensors remain, within 10 degrees , at their directions in ethylene and other olefinic compounds. The calculations, performed using the GIAO method and the LanDZ pseudopotential basis set, show good agreement with the experiments, and were used to establish definite evidence for the existence of a Cl-bridge structure in the bicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene (BCHD)dichlororuthenium(II) polymer.

Solid-state NMR spectra and long intradimer bonds in the pi-[TCNE]22- dianion.

The principal (13)C chemical-shift values for the pi-[TCNE](2)(2-) dimer anion within an array of counterions have been measured to understand better the electronic structure of these atypical chemical species in several related TCNE-based structures. The structure of pi-[TCNE](2)(2-) is unusual as it contains two very long C-C bond lengths (ca. 2.9 Angstroms) between the two monomeric units and has been found to exist as a singlet state, suggestive of a (1)A(1g) (b(2u)(2)b(1g)(0)) electronic configuration. A systematic study of several oxidation states of [TCNE](n) (n = 0, 1-, 2-) was conducted to determine how the NMR chemical-shift tensor values change as a function of electronic structure and to understand the interactions that lead to spin-pairing of the monomer units. The density functional theory (DFT) calculated nuclear shielding tensors are correlated with the experimentally determined principal chemical-shift values. Such theoretical methods provide information on the tensor magnitudes and orientations of their principal tensor components with respect to the molecular frame. Both theoretical and experimental ethylenic chemical-shielding tensors reveal high sensitivity in the component, delta(perpendicular), lying in the monomer molecular plane and perpendicular to the pi-electron plane. This largest shift dependence on charge density is observed to be about -111 ppm/e(-) for delta(perpendicular). The component in the molecular plane but parallel to the central C=C bond, delta(parallel), exhibits a sensitivity of approximately -43 ppm/e(-). However, the out-of-plane component delta'(perpendicular) shows a minimal dependence of -2.6 ppm/e(-) on the oxidation state (n) of [TCNE](n). These relative values support the claim that it is changes within the ethylenic pi-electrons and not the sigma-electrons that best account for the dramatic variations in bonding and shift tensors in this series of compounds. Concerning the intraion bonding, relatively weak Wiberg bond orders between the two monomeric components of the dimer correlate with the long bonds linking the two [TCNE(*)](-) monomers. The chemical-shift tensors for the cyano group, compared to the ethylene shifts, exhibit a reduced sensitivity on the TCNE oxidation state. The experimental principal chemical-shift components agree (within typical errors) with the calculated quantum mechanical shieldings used to correlate the bonding. The embedded ion model (EIM) was used to investigate the typically large electrostatic lattice potential in these ionic materials. Chemical-shielding principal values calculated with the EIM model differ from experiment by +/-3.82 ppm on average, whereas in the absence of an electrostatic field model, the experimental and theoretical results agree by +/-4.42 ppm, which is only a modest increase in error considering the overall ionic magnitudes associated with the tensor variations. Apparently, the effects of the sizable long-range electrostatic fields cancel when the shifts are computed because of lattice symmetry.

Enhancement in the reducibility of cobalt oxides on a mesoporous silica supported cobalt catalyst.

The silylation of SBA-15 enhances the reducibility of cobalt oxides on a SBA-15 supported cobalt catalyst, and consequently increases the catalytic activity for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of hydrocarbons from syngas and selectivity for longer chain products.

Solid-state 15N NMR studies of tobacco leaves.

Nitrogen-containing compounds are one important class of constituents in tobacco because of various pharmacological and biological properties. Three types of tobacco leaves (burley, bright, and oriental) were studied using solid-state (15)N NMR cross polarization with magic-angle spinning, dipolar dephasing and five pi replicated magic angle turning (FIREMAT) experiments. The results show that burley tobacco leaves contain significantly more pyridinic nitrogen than that of bright or oriental tobacco leaves. The principal values of (15)N chemical shift tensors of nitrogen functional groups were obtained from the FIREMAT data. Possible assignments of solid-state (15)N NMR resonances were made using nitrogen chemical shift tensors in some model compounds or isotropic chemical shift values from liquid NMR results. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first solid-state (15)N NMR study of tobacco plant material.