INVESTIGATING MOLECULAR MOTION IN CRYSTALS USING 2H NMR SPECTROSCOPY

Kenneth D M Harris

School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
K.D.M.Harris@bham.ac.uk

Solid state NMR spectroscopy is a powerful and versatile approach for probing structural and dynamic properties of solids, particularly when used in conjunction with more traditional methods for structural characterization (such as diffraction-based techniques). In particular, different types of solid state NMR experiments allow detailed information to be obtained on the local structural properties and/or dynamic properties of solids, extending the level of understanding beyond the "average" structural description obtained from diffraction-based investigations. For studying molecular motions in the solid state, ²H NMR spectroscopy is a particularly powerful technique when the timescale of the motion is between about 10^-3 s and 10^-8 s. The lecture will illustrate the scope and potential of 2H NMR spectroscopy for revealing details of dynamic processes in molecular crystals, and will focus mainly on the following themes: (i) dynamics of guest molecules in solid inclusion compounds; (ii) dynamics of hydrogen bonding arrangements in organic crystals.