Complex methyl groups dynamics in [(CH3)4P]3Sb2Br9 (PBA) from low to high temperatures by proton spin-lattice relaxation and narrowing of proton NMR spectrum.

Molecular dynamics of a polycrystalline sample of (CH(3))(4)PSb(2)Br(9) (PBA) has been studied on the basis of the T(1) (24.7 MHz) relaxation time measurement, the proton second moment of NMR and the earlier published T(1) (90 MHz) relaxation times. The study was performed in a wide range of temperatures (30-337 K). The tunnel splitting omega(T) of the methyl groups was estimated as of low frequency (from kHz to few MHz). The proton spin pairs of the methyl group are known to perform a complex internal motion being a resultant of four components. Three of them involve mass transportation over and through the potential barrier and are characterized by the correlation times tau(3) and tau(T)of the jumps over the barrier and tunnel jumps in the threefold potential of the methyl group and tau(iso) the correlation time of isotropic rotation of the whole TMP cation. For tau(3) and tau(iso) the Arrhenius temperature dependence was assumed, while for tau(T)--the Schrödinger one. The fourth motion causes fluctuations of the tunnel splitting frequency, omega(T), and it is related to the lifetime of the methyl spin at the energy level. The correlation function for this fourth motion (tau(omega) correlation time) has been proposed by Müller-Warmuth et al. In this paper a formula for the correlation function and spectral density of the complex motion made of the above-mentioned four components was derived and used in interpretation of the T(1) relaxation time. The second moment of proton NMR line at temperatures below 50K is four times lower than its value for the rigid structure. The three components of the internal motion characterized by tau(T), tau(H), and tau(iso) were proved to reduce the second moment of the NMR line. The tunnel jumps of the methyl group reduce M(2) at almost 0K, the classical jumps over the barrier reduce M(2) in the vicinity of 50K, while the isotropic motion near 150K. Results of the study on the dynamics of CH(3) groups of TMP cation based on the second moment measurements were correlated with those based on T(1) time measurements.