Solid-state (79/81)Br NMR and gauge-including projector-augmented wave study of structure, symmetry, and hydration state in alkaline earth metal bromides.

Bromine-79/81 solid-state NMR (SSNMR) spectroscopy is established as a tool to characterize the local structure and symmetry about bromide ions in inorganic systems. Benchmark experimental (79/81)Br SSNMR data are acquired for CaBr(2), SrBr(2), BaBr(2), MgBr(2).6H(2)O, SrBr(2).6H(2)O, BaBr(2).2H(2)O, and CaBr(2).xH(2)O using the Solomon echo and/or QCPMG pulse sequences in magnetic fields of 11.75 and 21.1 T. Analytical line-shape analysis provides (79/81)Br electric field gradient (EFG) tensor parameters (including (79)Br quadrupolar coupling constants, C(Q)((79)Br), of up to 75.1(5) MHz in CaBr(2)), chemical shift tensor parameters (including the largest reported anisotropy), and the relative orientation of the tensor principal axis systems. These data are interpreted in terms of structure and symmetry. Our results indicate that ionic bromide systems should be generally accessible to characterization by (79/81)Br SSNMR despite sizable quadrupolar interactions. The resolving capabilities of (79/81)Br SSNMR spectroscopy are illustrated, using samples which possess up to four magnetically inequivalent sites, and through a rare example of (79)Br magic-angle spinning NMR for a Br in a noncubic lattice. Bromine-79/81 SSNMR spectroscopy is demonstrated to be sensitive to the presence of hydrates (i.e., pseudopolymorphism), via drastic changes in C(Q) and delta(iso). The changes are diagnostic to an extent that the composition of the mixture CaBr(2).xH(2)O is determined for the first time. This technique should therefore be applicable to characterize other unknown mixtures or polymorphs. Important instances where (79)Br nuclear quadrupole resonance data were found to be deficient are noted and corrected. GIPAW DFT computations are shown to be generally in very good agreement with the experimental (79/81)Br SSNMR observations. Finally, it is demonstrated that the origin of the EFG at the Br nuclei cannot be described quantitatively using a point charge model, even after including Sternheimer antishielding effects.