This application claims Paris convention priority of EP 11 165 564.3 filed May 10, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention concerns a method for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of a sample comprising the following steps:
Most nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods employ Fourier transformations of free induction decays (FID's).1 Though widely used, this approach suffers from homogeneous decay and imperfect homogeneity of a static magnetic field, so that it is challenging to achieve line-widths below 1 Hz.2 Sophisticated NMR pulse sequences have been developed to achieve reasonable line-widths (1<Δν<50 Hz) in moderately inhomogeneous fields, exploiting cross relaxation effects3, observation in the earth's magnetic field4, or a spatial correlation between the static and radio-frequency (rf) field profiles5. By combining refocusing and coherence transfer through couplings, one can obtain acceptable line-widths (1<Δν<50 Hz) even in very inhomogeneous fields (Δν>2 kHz).6 In systems with two scalar-coupled homonuclear spins I=½ and S=½, one can excite long-lived coherences (LLC's) that can have very long life-times TLLC and hence very narrow line-widths ΔνLLC=1/(π/TLLC).7-9 Their precession frequency is independent of offset (and hence of chemical shifts and inhomogeneous broadening) and is only determined by the sum of scalar and residual dipolar couplings (TIS=JIS+2DIS). So far, LLC's have only been observed indirectly in the manner of two-dimensional (2D) spectroscopy, i.e. point by point, either in combination with field cycling7 or in high field.8-9
Principles
Long-lived coherences (LLC's) constitute a class of zero-quantum coherences that can be excited by extremely low frequency fields (ELF's) in a vanishing static field.7 LLC's can also be excited in high fields by creating a state where the coherences Iy and −Sy have opposite phases, so that they can be locked by a continuous ‘sustaining’ rf field8-9. This rf field in effect suppresses the chemical shifts, thus rendering the spins magnetically equivalent, so that their eigenstates can be classified according to ‘symmetrical’ and ‘antisymmetrical’ irreducible representations of the spin permutation group. LLC's span zero-quantum transitions between states of different symmetry. Their oscillatory decays can be subjected to a Fourier transformation, yielding doublets that are reminiscent of ‘J-spectroscopy’11-13. The life-times TLLC of LLC's can be a factor κ longer than the transverse relaxation times T2=TSQC of ordinary single-quantum coherences (TLLC=κT2), so that the line-widths ΔνLLC=1/(πTLLC) can be narrower by a factor ΔνLLC/ΔνSQC=1/κ. Depending on the role of extraneous relaxation mechanisms9, one can expect κ≦3 in small molecules in the extreme narrowing limit, and κ≦9 in the slow14 motion limit typical of large molecules. In practice, we have observed 2.5<κ<4.3 over a range of correlation times.15
Generally speaking, LLC's should not be confused with long-lived states (LLS's), also known as singlet states (SS) if there are only two spins in the system. LLS's refer to populations of antisymmetric singlet states16-28. LLS's have life-times that can be much longer than LLC's (TLLS>>TLLC), but do not have any oscillatory character, and cannot give rise to J-spectra in the manner of LLC's. Both LLS's and LLC's can be temporarily converted into observable magnetisation (vide infra). This is of particular interest when the initial polarization is enhanced by ‘dissolution’ DNP10,21.
If the oscillatory decays of LLC's are observed point-by-point in the manner of two-dimensional (2D) spectroscopy, they cannot be enhanced (‘hyperpolarized’) by ‘dissolution’ DNP. Recently, several 2D experiments have been successfully converted into ‘ultra-fast’ versions that can be combined with ‘dissolution’ DNP.22-23 However, the continuous rf field, which is preferably used to sustain LLC's is not compatible with current ‘ultra-fast’ schemes.
It is an object of the present invention to propose a method that allows obtaining ultra high-resolution spectra of long-lived coherences with enhanced resolution.
This object is achieved by:
(e) reconverting the observable magnetisation back into LLC after the observation interval τ3; and repeating steps (b)-(e) n times, with n is a positive integer.
The irradiation of step (b) is resumed and the loop is repeated n times, where the integer n can be preferably 100 or more. It is clear for one who is skilled in the art that in the final repetition step (e) can be omitted without leaving the scope of the invention.
A long lived coherence (LLC) is a coherent superposition between the singlet and the central triplet state of two nuclei of the same kind. Long-lived coherences (LLC's) constitute a class of zero-quantum coherences. The excitation of LLC is carried out in a magnetic field, in particular in the magnetic field of the NMR magnet. Pairs of nuclei are chosen from the sample. The excitation of LLC comprises a transformation of an initial spin distribution (Iz+Sz) into (Ix−Sx) or (Iy−Sy) or (2IySz−2IzSy) or (2IxSz-2IzSx) respectively just before the rf-field is applied, i.e. the initial spin distribution (Iz+Z) is flipped to the transverse plane (observable magnetisation). The excitation can be achieved by various preparations, e.g., by applying a non-selective (π/2)x or (π/2)y-pulse or by applying a semi-selective π-pulse that affects only the multiplet of either spin I or spin S, followed by a non-selective (π/2)x or (π/2)y-pulse, or by using an echo sequence with a band-selective refocusing pulse, or by using a long lived state filter. Other preparations are also possible. (Ix−Sx) or (Iy−Sy) or (2IySz−2IzSy) or (2IxSz-2IzSx) is then transformed into LLC by initiating irradiation of the rf-field. The LLC are sustained as long as rf-irradiation is applied.
When the rf-irradiation is interrupted, the LLC is no longer sustained, but converted into observable magnetisation, whereby “observable magnetisation” means magnetisation which is detectable by MR measurements (transverse magnetisation, in particular single quantum coherences (Ix−Sx)). When the sustaining rf field is switched on again, the remaining observable magnetization (differences (Ix−Sx) or (Iy−Sy) or (2IySz−2IzSy) or (2IxSz−2IzSx)) are reconverted into LLC's, while the sum (Ix+Sx) or (Ix+Sy) is spin-locked and decays, and the sum 2IySz+2IzSy is dephased under the effect of the rf field inhomogeneity. The repetition of sustaining of the rf-field, interrupting the rf-field and detecting NMR-signals during the observation interval results in partial decay of the LLC.
The RF irradiation can consist of a composite pulse scheme comprising a manifold of pulses and phases. Nevertheless the rf-irradiation is preferably carried out along an x-axis, if the LLC contains (Ix−Sx) terms and along the y-axis if the LLC contains (Iy−Sy) terms, whereby the x-axis and the y-axis of the rotating reference frame are both perpendicular to the z-direction of the static field, in which the experiment is carried out.
During the irradiation intervals τ2, the coherence LLC evolves under the effect of the total coupling 2TIS=2JIS+4DIS and decays with the relaxation rate RLLC=1/TLLC. During each observation interval (observation window τ3), the system evolves under the chemical shifts and again under the total coupling constant TIS, albeit reduced by a factor 2, and decays with the single-quantum relaxation rate R2=1/T2.
The duration τ3 of the observation interval can be equal for each repetition. Yet, it is also possible to choose non-constant durations for the observation interval (i.e. τ3 may be different in different repetitions) to achieve sparse sampling.
This invention shows that a signal comprising a larger number n of data points can be obtained in a single scan. With the inventive method, long-lived coherences (LLC's) in homonuclear pairs of chemically inequivalent spins can be excited and sustained during protracted radio-frequency irradiation periods that alternate with brief windows for signal observation (observation interval). Fourier transformation of the sustained induction decays recorded in a single scan yields NMR spectra with line-widths in the range 10<Δν<100 mHz, even in moderately inhomogeneous magnetic fields. If the windows for signal observation have a duration that is negligible compared to the protracted irradiation periods, the line-widths Δν approach the limiting line-widths ΔνLLC. Even in poorly shimmed magnets where the inhomogeneous line width is Δν*>20 (protons) Hz, the inventive method can provide line-widths as narrow as ΔνLLC=14 mHz. The resulting doublets, which are reminiscent of 1-spectra, allow one to determine the sum of scalar and residual dipolar interactions in partly oriented media.
In a variant of the inventive method, the LLC are excited by transforming an initial spin polarization, (Iz+Sz), in particular the thermal equilibrium Boltzmann distribution, of the spin polarization (Iz+Sz) into single quantum coherences (Ix−Sx) or (Iy−Sy) or (2IySz−2IzSy) or (2IzSz−2IzSz) prior to initiating irradiation of the sample with the rf-field.
Alternatively the sample is hyperpolarized, in particular by using dynamic nuclear polarization, thereby enhancing the spin polarization (Iz+SZ) and the LLC that are subsequently excited by transforming the enhanced spin polarization (Iz+Sz) into enhanced single quantum coherences (Ix−Sx) or (Iy−Sy) or (2IySz−2IzSy) or (2IzSx−2IzSx), prior to initiating irradiation of the sample with the rf-field. Thereby the signal to noise ratio can be improved.
In a preferred variant the carrier frequency is ωrf=(ΩI−ΩS)/2, with ΩI chemical shift of nuclei of the sample with spin I, and ΩS chemical shift of nuclei of the sample with spin S.
If the carrier frequency is chosen half-way between the two chemical shifts σ=−Iy−Sy is entirely transformed into σ=Ix−Sx during the preparation.
The rf-field is a preferably a continuous wave-rf-field. A continuous wave rf-field constitutes the simplest way to sustain the LLC.
In a special variant the rf-field is modulated in amplitude.
Alternatively or additionally the rf-field is modulated in phase.
It is preferred that that the amplitude of the rf-field is larger than the offset in, |ΩI−ΩS|/2.
In a highly preferred variant a refocusing pulse is applied in the middle of the observation interval τ3. Contributions to the LLC from (Ix+Sx), (Iy+Sy) and (2IxSz+2IzSx) and (2IySz+2IzSy), can be suppressed by using a π pulse in the middle of each window to refocus the chemical shifts. This enables a more accurate measurement of the scalar coupling JIS and the total coupling TIS=JIS+2DIS even for long observation intervals τ3, in particular 100 μs<τ3<2 ms. Long observation intervals allow one to average over a larger number of data points in each window, resulting in improved signal-to-noise ratios. The detection of NMR-signals is preferably carried out during the first half τ3/2 of the observation interval τ3. But it is also possible to detected NMR-signals in the second half τ3/2 of the observation interval.
In a preferred variant the NMR spectroscopy measurement is carried out in a single experiment. A “single experiment” comprises one single preparation, i.e. only one single excitation of long lived coherences by applying rf-pulses.
Further advantages can be extracted from the description and the enclosed drawings. The features mentioned above and below can be used in accordance with the invention either individually or collectively in any combination. The embodiments mentioned are not to be understood as exhaustive enumeration but rather have exemplary character for the description of the invention.
In an experiment according to the invention, the signals are observed during brief interruptions (observation interval τ3) of a sustaining rf field (scheme B1 in
In the example shown in
In scheme A2, a semi-selective IC pulse applied to either spins I or S to invert the populations across either of the two doublets is immediately followed by a non-selective (π/2)y pulse to excite σ=Ix−Sx.8-9 In aqueous solutions, it may be necessary to suppress the intense HDO peak.
Scheme A3 uses an echo sequence (π/2)x−τ−(π)x(I,S)−τ− with a band-selective refocusing pulse that acts on spins I and S but is too weak to refocus the solvent resonance. The two pulsed field gradients (PFG's) G1 lead to dephasing of all magnetization components with offsets that lie outside the range of the band-selective refocusing pulse. Like in scheme A1, σ=Ix−Sx is created after a delay, in scheme A3 the delay is 2τ+τ1=2τ+1/(2|ΔΩIS|).
Finally, scheme A4 uses a ‘long-lived state filter’ as explained elsewhere15. The latter two schemes also have the advantage of avoiding possible radiation damping induced by large HDO signals, especially when enhanced by DNP.
Both schemes B1 and B2 in T0|+|T0
S0|), i.e., into a zero-quantum coherence spanning the central triplet state T0=N(|αβ
+βα
) and the singlet state S0=N(|αβ
−|βα
) where N=2−1/2. In the windows τ3 or τ3/2, where the rf field is switched off, the density operator is briefly converted back into single-quantum coherences σ=Ix−Sx, so that signals can be observed. In both schemes B1 and B2 in
The sustain-observe cycles are repeated n times, resulting in ‘sustained induction decays’ (SID's) with a total length tmax=nΔt digitised at intervals Δt. These Δt intervals are equivalent to the ‘dwell times’ of ordinary free induction decays. The signals can be Fourier transformed, giving a frequency domain spectrum with a digital resolution that is determined by 1/tmax and a spectral width 1/Δt that should be larger than the total coupling 2T=2J+4D if one wishes to avoid aliasing.
‘Windowed acquisition’ has been used previously in solid-state NMR methods such as WAHUHA, MREV and their numerous variants25-26 and for homonuclear dipolar decoupling with shaped rf pulses in the manner of DUMBO.27 If the observation windows are too short, the signals can be perturbed by transient effects due to transmitter break-through, bearing in mind that the preamplifier must be protected during rf irradiation, and that this protection must be removed in the windows. On the other hand, if the observation windows are too long, the single-quantum coherences σ=Ix−Sx will decay through transverse T2 relaxation, dephase in the inhomogeneous static field, and evolve under the chemical shifts and scalar couplings. With an analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) running at 500 kHz, one can acquire a sample point every 2 μs, and take averages over all points recorded in each observation interval τ3 of scheme B1 or in the first and/or second τ3/2 interval of scheme B2. Reducing the number of sampling points leads to a loss in signal-to-noise ratio. In practice, the dead time between the point where the CW rf field is switched off and where the signal can be observed is typically 3 μs, so that 8 sampling points can be taken in each window if τ3=20 μs, or 498 points in each window if τ3=1000 μs. If the sustaining intervals in scheme B1 of
During the irradiation intervals τ2, the coherence QLLC=(|S0T0|+|T0
S0|) evolves under the effect of the total coupling 2TIS=2JIS+4DIS and decays with the relaxation rate RLLC=RLLC=1/TLLC
In terms of the usual Cartesian product operators, this leads to:
σ2[(Ix−Sx)cos(2πTISτ2)+(2IySz−2IzSy)sin(2πTISτ2)]·exp(−τ2·RLLC) (2)
This is consistent with recent work9, but our initial papers underestimated the effect of the couplings by a factor 2. During each observation window τ3 in the scheme B1 of
τ3=cos(ΔΩIS/2·τ3)[(Ix−Sx)cos(2πTISΔt′)+(2IySz−2IzSy)sin(2πT
Where Δt′=τ2+τ3/2=Δt−τ3/2, reflecting the scaling of the total coupling constant when the rf field is switched off. We can define and apparent total coupling constant:
TISapp=TISΔt′/Δt (4)
Using the notation R2=RSQC=κRLLC with κ≦9, the average decay rate <R> in Eq. (3) is
For κ=3, τ2=49.98 ms and τ3=20 μs, this amounts to a mere 0.08% increase in the average relaxation rate and hence to a negligible contribution to the line-width. When the CW rf field along the x-axis is switched on again, the differences Ix−Sx and 2IySz−2IzSy resume their identity as LLC's, while the sum Ix+Sx is spin-locked and decays, and the sum 2IySz+2IzSy is dephased under the effect of the rf field inhomogeneity. With a chemical shift difference ΔΩIS/(2π)=300 Hz, we have cos(ΔΩIS τ3)=0.9993˜1. This infinitesimal ‘leakage’ of the LLC may seem negligible, but it is amplified as the sustain-observe sequence is repeated n times with cos(ΔΩIS τ3)n so that cos(ΔΩIS τ3)100=0.936, thus affecting the decay of the LLC. The resulting time domain signals sampled at intervals Δt are
In order to suppress contributions from Ix+Sx and 2IySz+2IzSy, scheme B2 uses a π pulse in the middle of each observation window to refocus the chemical shifts. As a result, the density operator at the end of each window τ3 in scheme B2 is:
σ7=[(Ix−Sx)cos(2πTISΔt′)+(2IySz−2IzSy)sin(2πTISΔt′)]·exp(−<R>Δt) (7)
The resulting time domain signals sampled at intervals Δt are:
Experimental Evidence
e shows a ‘sustained induction decay’ (SID) that can be compared with the FID presented in
a shows how the insertion of refocusing pulses in the middle of the observation windows allows one to eliminate the effects of chemical shifts. For longer windows 100 μs <τ3<2 ms, scheme B2 provides longer decays and hence narrower line-widths. Note that the narrowest lines are obtained, albeit at the expense of sensitivity, with scheme B1 with very short observation windows (typically τ3=20 μs).
In principle, the evolution of LLC's is immune to the inhomogeneity of the magnetic field if one uses the scheme B2 of
Very weak molecular alignments, yielding minute residual dipolar couplings (RDC's) in the mHz range, can be readily determined with the inventive method.
Since LLC spectra can be recorded in a single scan, they can be boosted by ‘dissolution’ DNP. Spectra of a 20 μL solution of 50 mM 2,3-dibromothiophene dissolved in a 3:2 DMSO-d6/D2O (v/v) mixture doped with 30 mM TEMPOL are compared in
Methods
Sample Preparation
DNP Sample:
a 20 μL solution of 50 mM 3-bromothiophene-2-carboxylic acid (97%, Aldrich) dissolved in a 3:2 mixture of DMSO-d6/D2O (v/v) (99.98%, Aldrich) doped with 30 mM 4-Hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl (TEMPOL) (purum, ≧97.0%, Fluka). The freshly prepared mixture was rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen to form 104 beads.
Ascorbate Scavenger:
a 3 M D2O solution of sodium L-ascorbate (≧99%, Aldrich) was prepared and rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen (104 beads).
NMR Samples:
a 20 mM isotropic solution of 2,3-dibromothiophene (98% Aldrich) in DMSO-d6 with addition of 30 mM L-ascorbic acid (BioXtra, ≧99.0%, Sigma) for scavenging paramagnetic oxygen was prepared and sealed in a 5 mm NMR tube.
Aligned Media:
Two 50 mM solution of 3-bromothiophene-2-carboxylic acid in a (1:1) D2O/DMSO-d6 mixture with addition of 30 mM L-ascorbic acid for scavenging paramagnetic oxygen were prepared, one with and the other without addition of 0.25% of pentaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C12E5, Sigma≧98%) for partial alignment, and sealed in 5 mm NMR tubes.
Peptide Sample:
A 0.5 M solution of L-ala-gly (Sigma) in D2O with addition of 30 mM sodium L-ascorbate (≧99%, Aldrich) was prepared and sealed in a 5 mm NMR tube. All chemicals were used without further purification.
Hyperpolarization
DNP was performed by thermal mixing at 1.2 K and 3.35 T in a home-built ‘dissolution’ DNP polarizer33-35 by applying a CW microwave irradiation at fμw=93.89 GHz and Pμw=30 mW for 5 minutes. The DNP build-up of 1H magnetization is fast (τDNP˜120 s) and yields high proton spin polarization P(1H)˜20-40% depending on sample composition.36 About 20 μL of frozen beads of the polarized sample, together with 90 μL of frozen beads of a 3 M D2O solution of sodium ascorbate, were rapidly dissolved with 3 mL of preheated D2O (T=440 K and P=1.2 MPa) and intimately mixed within 700 ms, transferred in 1.5 s to a 11.7 T NMR magnet through a 1 mm inner diameter PTFE tube pressurized with helium gas at 0.6 MPa, and allowed to settle for 0.5 s, prior to injection into a pre-locked NMR tube, which required another 0.5 s. After a further 3 s settling time in the NMR tube to allow turbulences to slow down, the LLC was excited, sustained, and observed with the sequences A3 and B2 of
NMR Measurements
NMR measurements were performed on a 500 MHz spectrometer equipped with an Inverse 5 mm Bruker CryoProbe™. The ‘on the fly’ LLC pulse program and excitation/acquisition sequences were designed and performed with TopSpin 2.1.
In conclusion, the present invention describes an ‘on-the-fly’ method where the radio-frequency (rf) irradiation required to sustain the LLC's in high magnetic field is briefly interrupted, normally at regular intervals, so that the LLC's are temporarily converted into single-quantum coherences (SQC's) that can be observed. The method according to the invention allows one to obtain ultra high-resolution spectra of long-lived coherences (LLC's) ‘on the fly’ in one-dimensional fashion by time-shared ‘windowed acquisition’. This allows one to determine very accurate total couplings T=J+2D. The method can be applied to either isotropic or anisotropic phases, providing ultra-high resolution even in moderately inhomogeneous magnetic fields. The signals can be enhanced by “dissolution” DNP10. The technique has been applied to pairs of spins in this study, but it is intended to extend the scope of application of ‘on the fly’ LLC's in the near future to multiple spin systems (N>2) with broad-band excitation and detection (replacing CW by composite pulses) of several LLC's in the same molecule or in mixtures. Since inhomogeneous fields are not detrimental to LLC's, ex-situ or in-cell studies should be readily feasible with unprecedented linewidths, and since the long lifetimes of LLC's are exquisitely sensitive to the presence of paramagnetic species28, we believe they should be sensitive probes for the detection paramagnetic species such as oxygen.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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11165564 | May 2011 | EP | regional |
Number | Date | Country |
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2 270 531 | Jan 2011 | EP |
2 270 532 | Jan 2011 | EP |
Entry |
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Pelupessy, P. et al., “High-resolution NMR in magnetic fields with unknown spatiotemporal variations”, Science 324, 1693-1697 (2009). |
Pileio, G. et al. Extremely low-Frequency Spectroscopy in Low-Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 083002 (2009). |
Sarkar, R. et al., “Long-Lived coherences for homogeneous line narrowing in spectroscopy”, Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 053001 (2010). |
Sarkar, R. et al. “Long-lived coherences for line-narrowing in high-field NMR”, Prog. Nucl. Magn. Reson. Spectrosc., 59 (2011) 83-90. |
Bornet, A. et al. Life-times of long-lived coherences under different motional regimes, J. Magn. Reson. 206, 154-156 (2010). |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20120286782 A1 | Nov 2012 | US |