K. V. Ramanathan

Single-File Diffusion of Confined Water Inside SWNTs: An NMR Study

We report a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) study of confined water inside approximately 1.4 nm diameter single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). We show that the confined water does not freeze even up to 223 K. A pulse field gradient (PFG) NMR method is used to determine the mean squared displacement (MSD) of the water molecules inside the nanotubes at temperatures below 273 K, where the bulk water outside the nanotubes freezes and hence does not contribute to the proton NMR signal. We show that the mean squared displacement varies as the square root of time, predicted for single-file diffusion in a one-dimensional channel. We propose a qualitative understanding of our results based on available molecular dynamics simulations.

Toward quantum information processing by nuclear magnetic resonance: Pseudopure states and logical operations using selective pulses on an oriented spin 3/2 nucleus

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has demonstrated significant experimental progress toward the development of quantum computations. The developments so far have taken place mainly through the use of spin 12 nuclei. In this paper we describe the use of a spin 32 nucleus, oriented in a liquid crystal matrix for the creation of pseudopure states and the implementation of a complete set of two-qubit reversible logic gates using single-quantum transition-selective pulses, extending the range of practice of NMR toward quantum computation.

Phase characterization and study of molecular order of a three-ring mesogen by 13C NMR in smectic C and nematic phases.

Molecules exhibiting a thermotropic liquid-crystalline property have acquired significant importance due to their sensitivity to external stimuli such as temperature, mechanical forces, and electric and magnetic fields. As a result, several novel mesogens have been synthesized by the introduction of various functional groups in the vicinity of the aromatic core as well as in the side chains and their properties have been studied. In the present study, we report three-ring mesogens with hydroxyl groups at one terminal. These mesogens were synthesized by a multistep route, and structural characterization was accomplished by spectral techniques. The mesophase properties were studied by hot-stage optical polarizing microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and small-angle X-ray scattering. An enantiotropic nematic phase was noticed for lower homologues, while an additional smectic C phase was found for higher homologues. Solid-state high-resolution natural abundance (13)C NMR studies of a typical mesogen in the solid phase and in the mesophases have been carried out. The (13)C NMR spectrum of the mesogen in the smectic C and nematic phases indicated spontaneous alignment of the molecule in the magnetic field. By utilizing the two-dimensional separated local field (SLF) NMR experiment known as SAMPI4, (13)C-(1)H dipolar couplings have been obtained, which were utilized to determine the orientational order parameters of the mesogen.

Use of polarization inversion for resolution of small dipolar couplings in SLF-2D NMR experiments – an application to liquid crystals

A density matrix description of the polarization inversion process is presented. Such a description enables the visualization of the role of the process in the suppression of zero-frequency peaks in SLF-2D NMR experiments based on the dipolar oscillations during cross-polarization. It is shown that during this process, a doubling of the amplitude of the oscillatory component occurs accompanied by a reduction of the initial intensity of the non-oscillatory component to zero. This signiAEcantly reduces the zero-frequency component and in the case of a liquid crystal studied, enables several small dipolar couplings to be resolved and interpreted in terms of the molecular structure and order.

Dynamics of methylene chains in an intercalated surfactant bilayer by solid-state NMR spectroscopy

Two complementary solid-state NMR techniques – variable contact time cross-polarization magic angle spinning (VCT CPMAS) and 2D wide-line separation (2D WISE) spectroscopy have been used to probe the dynamics of methylene chains in an intercalated surfactant bilayer, formed within the galleries of layered cadmium thiophosphate by the insertion of cetyl trimethyl ammonium ions. A gradient of conformational mobilities is observed in the intercalated bilayer; the cationic heads are immobile while the terminal methylenes of the surfactant tail undergo rapid motion. In the crystalline salt, the gradient is reversed, the tails are stationary and the heads mobile.

Nematogens with more flexible chains than aromatic rings in the core

Mesogens containing four rings in the main core can accommodate one terminal and two nearby lateral chains on each outside aromatic ring. These compounds containing six chains present an enantiotropic nematic range which is influenced by the rigidity of the links. The conformational behaviour of the first methyleneoxy group within the chains was investigated by one and two dimensional C-13 NMR. The sign of the jump in chemical shifts when entering the nematic phase indicates the folding of each lateral branch. Dipolar oscillations during cross-polarization contact provide the values of the bond order parameter. The two First lateral fragments do not behave in the same way, demonstrating the influence of the fragment along which the chain is back: folded.

Determination of 13C chemical shift anisotropy tensors and molecular order of 4-hexyloxybenzoic acid.

4-Alkoxy benzoic acids belong to an important class of thermotropic liquid crystals that are structurally simple and often used as starting materials for many novel mesogens. 4-Hexyloxybenzoic acid (HBA) is a homologue of the same series and exhibits an enantiotropic nematic phase. As this molecule could serve as an ideal model compound, high resolution (13)C NMR studies of HBA in solution, solid, and liquid crystalline phases have been undertaken. In the solid state, two-dimensional separation of undistorted powder patterns by effortless recoupling (2D SUPER) experiments have been carried out to estimate the magnitude of the components of the chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) tensor of all the aromatic carbons. These values have been used subsequently for calculating the orientational order parameters in the liquid crystalline phase. The CSA values computed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations showed good agreement with the 2D SUPER values. Additionally, (13)C-(1)H dipolar couplings in the nematic phase have been determined by separated local field (SLF) spectroscopy at various temperatures and were used for computing the order parameters, which compared well with those calculated by using the chemical shifts. It is anticipated that the CSA values determined for HBA would be useful for the assignment of carbon chemical shifts and for the study of order and dynamics of structurally similar novel mesogens in their nematic phases.

Structural characterization and molecular order of rodlike mesogens with three- and four-ring core by XRD and 13C NMR spectroscopy.

Structural characterizations using XRD and (13)C NMR spectroscopy of two rodlike mesogens consisting of (i) three phenyl ring core with a polar cyano terminal and (ii) four phenyl ring core with flexible dodecyl terminal chain are presented. The three-ring-core mesogen with cyano terminal exhibits enantiotropic smectic A phase while the four-ring mesogen reveals polymesomorphism and shows enantiotropic nematic, smectic C, and tilted hexatic phases. The molecular organization in the three-ring mesogen is found to be partial bilayer smectic Ad type, and the interdigitation of the molecules in the neighboring layers is attributed to the presence of the polar terminal group. For the four-ring mesogen, the XRD results confirm the existence of the smectic C and the tilted hexatic mesophases. A thermal variation of the layer spacing across the smectic C phase followed by a discrete jump at the transition to the tilted hexatic phase is also observed. The tilt angles have been estimated to be about 45° in the smectic C phase and about 40° in tilted hexatic phase. (13)C NMR results indicate that in the mesophase the molecules are aligned parallel to the magnetic field. From the (13)C-(1)H dipolar couplings determined from the 2D experiments, the overall order parameter for the three-ring mesogen in its smectic A phase has been estimated to be 0.72 while values ranging from 0.88 to 0.44 have been obtained for the four-ring mesogen as it passes from the tilted hexatic to the nematic phase. The orientations of the different rings of the core unit with respect to each other and also with respect to the long axis of the molecule have also been obtained.

Improved pulse schemes for separated local field spectroscopy for static and spinning samples

An improved pulse sequence for SLF experiments based on the magic sandwich (MS) scheme for homo-nuclear dipolar decoupling is proposed. The sequence incorporates a double MS, both on I and S spins and has been named as EXE-MS2. The proposed scheme which has a scaling factor of 1 is observed to be free from low intensity artifacts and provides better line-widths particularly for S spins labeled at multiple sites. The pulse sequence which has been applied on static oriented samples incorporates the EXE scheme where direct polarization of the S spin in the B(0) field is utilized in the place of polarization inversion and is observed to perform well without any loss of sensitivity while ensuring considerable reduction in rf power input into the sample. The EXE scheme has also been tested for solid samples under MAS.

Molecular topology of three ring nematogens from 13C–1H dipolar couplings

Molecules in their liquid crystalline phase undergo rotational motion about the long axis of the molecule and the shape adopted by the rotating molecule plays an important role in influencing the mesophase morphology. In this context, obtaining the topology and the relative orientation of the different sub-units are important steps. For studying the liquid crystalline phase, 13C NMR spectroscopy is a convenient method and for certain specifically designed nematogens, 2-dimensional separated local field (2D-SLF) NMR spectroscopy provides a particularly simple and straightforward means of arriving at the molecular topology. We demonstrate this approach on two three ring based nematogens designed with a phenyl or a thiophene ring at one of the termini. From the 13C–1H dipolar couplings of the terminal carbon obtained using the 2D-SLF NMR technique, the order parameter of the local symmetry axis of the terminal phenyl ring as well as of the long molecular axis could be easily estimated. For the thiophene nematogen, the lack of symmetry of the thiophene moiety necessitates some additional computational steps. The results indicate that the thiophene unit has its local ordering axis oriented away from the long molecular axis by a small angle, consistent with a bent structure expected in view of the thiophene geometry. The experiment also demonstrates the ability of 2D-SLF NMR to provide high resolution spectra by separation of several overlapped resonances in terms of their 13C–1H dipolar couplings. The results are consistent with a rod-like topology of the core of the investigated mesogens. The investigation demonstrates the potential of 2D-SLF NMR 13C spectroscopy for obtaining atomistic level information and its utility for topological studies of different mesogens.