1H-13C-27Al triple resonance transfer of populations in double resonance experiments for the detection of 13C-27Al dipolar interactions.

A 13C [1H] CPMAS [27Al] TRAPDOR NMR experiment is reported with the aim of detecting 13C-27Al proximities and distances in solids. The 13C and 27Al pulses are applied to the same probe channel, because their resonance frequencies lie extremely close to each other. The study of the heteronuclear dipolar interaction between these two nuclei, which are of fundamental importance in solid state science, is not possible with standard double resonance approaches. Results are presented for the model compound aluminum lactate. The 13C signals for the three lactate carbons show different magnitudes of the TRAPDOR effect, in excellent agreement with their mean Al-C distances, calculated from crystal structure data. The results illustrate the feasibility of this method for the study of systems where the interaction of organic and inorganic fractions is directing the structure (template/zeolite) or controlling the catalytic efficiency (organic reactant/catalytically active sites in zeolites or clays).