Determination of relative orientation between (1)H CSA tensors from a 3D solid-state NMR experiment mediated through (1)H/(1)H RFDR mixing under ultrafast MAS.

To obtain piercing insights into inter and intramolecular H-bonding, and π-electron interactions measurement of (1)H chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) tensors is gradually becoming an obvious choice. While the magnitude of CSA tensors provides unique information about the local electronic environment surrounding the nucleus, the relative orientation between these tensors can offer further insights into the spatial arrangement of interacting nuclei in their respective three-dimensional (3D) space. In this regard, we present a 3D anisotropic/anisotropic/isotropic proton chemical shift (CSA/CSA/CS) correlation experiment mediated through (1)H/(1)H radio frequency-driven recoupling (RFDR) which enhances spin diffusion through recoupled (1)H-(1)H dipolar couplings under ultrafast magic angle spinning (MAS) frequency (70kHz). Relative orientation between two interacting 1H CSA tensors is obtained by fitting two-interacting (1)H CSA tensors by fitting two-dimensional (2D) (1)H/(1)H CSA/CSA spectral slices through extensive numerical simulations. To recouple (1)H CSAs in the indirect frequency dimensions of a 3D experiment we have employed γ-encoded radio frequency (RF) pulse sequence based on R-symmetry (R188(7)) with a series of phase-alternated 2700(°)-90180(°) composite-180° pulses on citric acid sample. Due to robustness of applied (1)H CSA recoupling sequence towards the presence of RF field inhomogeneity, we have successfully achieved an excellent (1)H/(1)H CSA/CSA cross-correlation efficiency between H-bonded sites of citric acid.