Sensitive through-space dipolar correlations between nuclei of small organic molecules by partial alignment in a deuterated liquid solvent

Through-space residual dipolar correlations in NMR spectra can be measured between nuclei of small organic molecules by partially aligning them with respect to the magnetic field in a pure deuterated liquid solvent, 4-pentyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl. A simple temperature change of this liquid phase enables spectra to be compared between samples under isotropic tumbling conditions and weakly oriented anisotropic states. This should provide access of a number of small nonpolar molecules to more sensitive through-space nuclear correlations than possible through NOE experiments, depending on the net orientation of specific nuclear pairs with respect to the magnetic field and the specific coherence transfers employed. Copyright © 2002 American Chemical Society.