Simplified multiplet pattern HSQC-TOCSY experiment for accurate determination of long-range heteronuclear coupling constants.

A new two-dimensional pulse sequence for accurately determining heteronuclear coupling constants is presented. It is derived from HSQC and HECADE techniques with B0 gradient coherence selection. The main feature of the proposed method is spectra with only one component of the IS doublet; i.e., the final result is equivalent to a selective broadband excitation of either Salpha or Sbeta spin states and a preservation of these states during the entire experiment. The effect is obtained by an appropriate combination of in- and antiphase coherences. It is demonstrated that heteronuclear single-bond as well as long-range coupling constants and their relative signs are readily evaluated. The proposed sequence is equally or less sensitive to a variation of heteronuclear one-bond couplings than previously published, closely related sequences. The new method is applied to a peptide sample for determination of 3JN, Hbeta.