SHARPER Reaction Monitoring: Generation of a Narrow Linewidth NMR Singlet, without X-Pulses, in an Inhomogeneous Magnetic Field

[Image: see text] We report a new pure-shift method, termed SHARPER (Sensitive, Homogeneous, And Resolved PEaks in Real time) designed for the analysis of reactions and equilibria by NMR. By focusing on a single selected signal, SHARPER removes all heteronuclear couplings of a selected nucleus without the need to pulse on X channels, thus overcoming hardware limitations of conventional spectrometers. A more versatile decoupling scheme, termed sel-SHARPER, removes all heteronuclear and homonuclear couplings of the selected signal. Both methods are characterized by a periodic inversion of the active spin during the real-time acquisition. In addition to decoupling, they also compensate for pulse imperfections and magnetic field inhomogeneity, generating an extremely narrow singlet with a linewidth approaching limits dictated by the spin–spin relaxation. The decoupling and line narrowing effected by (sel)-SHARPER provide significant increases in the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio. Increases of 20-fold were routinely achieved for (19)F detection. sel-SHARPER is also applicable to first- and higher-order (1)H spectra. The sensitivity gains are substantially greater for inhomogeneous magnetic fields, including dynamic inhomogeneity caused by gas sparging. The parameters of the pulse sequences have been analyzed in detail to provide guidelines for their most effective application. The considerable reduction in the detection threshold induced by (sel)-SHARPER make the technique particularly suited for in situ monitoring of reaction kinetics. The approach is illustrated by a (19)F NMR study of the protodeboronation of an aryl boronic acid. Here, the high S/N allowed reliable determination of the net protodeoboronation kinetics, and the excess line broadening of (19)F singlets was utilized to characterize the boronic acid/boronate equilibrium kinetics. Oxidation of diphenylphosphine, monitored by (31)P NMR under optimized gas-flow conditions, demonstrated the high tolerance of SHARPER to dynamic inhomogeneity. The principles of the (sel)-SHARPER sequences are expected to find numerous applications in the design of new NMR experiments.