Download 13C NMR Spectroscopy (#1d)

13
C NMR Spectroscopy (#1d)
Although some special tricks must be employed, 13C nuclei can be studied in ways similar to
studying the 1H nucleus. The 1H nucleus gives a stronger NMR signal than 13C because 13C has
a much lower natural abundance. Only 1% of C atoms are 13C. To solve this problem, we
employ two modifications to the data acquisition. First, the spectral data is taken many times
and added together. Second, we use a mathematical trick called a Fourier transform (FT) to
obtain the data more quickly. There are some surprising consequences of using these tricks.
Any coupling information that would be present is lost, producing what are known as “protondecoupled spectra.” Also, the area under the peaks becomes distorted so integration is no longer
useful. As a result, peaks in 13C spectra appear as singlets. However, we can still obtain the
number of different carbon environments and chemical shift information from proton-decoupled
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C NMR spectra, which can tell us about functional groups in the molecule.
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C NMR spectra cover a wide range, from 0 to about 220 ppm, where carbonyl carbons are
found. The degree of substitution on a carbon has about as much effect on its chemical shift
position as does the presence of an electronegative atom. Generally, sp3-hybridized carbons
appear between 8-60 ppm and sp2-hybridized carbons between 100-150 ppm. Carbonyls appear
between 160-220 ppm. Solvent peaks typically are found at 0 and 77.2 ppm.
A modern method for obtaining 13C NMR spectra involves a complex series of pulses of radiofrequency radiation and delays before the data is acquired. Using this technique, which is called
DEPT (Distortionless Enhancement by Polarization Transfer), we can regain the coupling
information that is lost in proton-decoupled spectra. Usually, three spectra are obtained: 1. A
proton-decoupled spectrum that shows all carbon environments in the molecule; 2. A DEPT-90
spectrum showing only CH protons as upright singlets; and 3. A DEPT-135 spectrum showing
CH3’s and CH’s as upright singlets and CH2’s as inverted singlets. By finding the upright peaks
in the DEPT-135 that are not found in the DEPT-90, the CH3’s can be determined. Quaternary
carbons are identified by the fact that they appear in the ordinary decoupled spectrum but not in
either DEPT experiment. Often, peaks are listed for a 13C NMR spectrum with an asterisk listed
beside the number. This asterisk is used to denote peaks that are upright singlets in a DEPT-135
experiment: the CH’s and CH3’s.
The example below shows the DEPT and proton decoupled spectra for 2-ethyl-1-butanol. The
proton decoupled spectrum at the top shows all of the carbon environments. Note that the
solvent peak appears at 77.1 ppm. Even though there are 6 carbons in the formula, note that
there are only four different carbon environments in the decoupled spectrum. Therefore, the
molecule must contain symmetry. The only CH in the molecule appears in the DEPT-90
spectrum at 43.6 ppm. The DEPT-135 spectrum reveals that there are two CH2’s, at 64.8 and
22.9 ppm. The only CH3 environment appears at 11.1 ppm. It appears as a taller peak than the
others because it belongs to a CH3 rather than a CH or quaternary C. Also, note that the carbon
bearing the alcohol functional group is shifted farther downfield than the other carbons to 64.8
ppm.
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64.8
CH 2OH
CH3 CH 2 CH CH 2CH3
11.1 22.9 43.6 22.9 11.1
1
H-decoupled spectrum
200
CDCl3
77.1
64.8
43.6
22.9
11.1
0
(TMS)
11.1
0
(TMS)
DEPT-135
200
64.8
43.6
22.9
DEPT-90
200
43.6
0
(TMS)
Postlab
You should complete the following assignment in your lab notebook along with the other
spectroscopy assignments. A printable copy of this assignment can be found at
www.unm.edu/~orgchem.
1. Propose structures for the following isomeric alcohols that give the 13C NMR spectra below.
Assign the carbons to their respective peaks. A table of chemical shifts is located on page 43.
A.
C 5H12O
1 H-decoupled
200
spectrum
CDCl3
77.1
62.8
32.5 28.0 22.6
14.0
0
(TMS)
DEPT-135
200
0
(TMS)
DEPT-90
200
35
0
(TMS)
B.
C 5H12O
1 H-decoupled
spectrum
200
CDCl3
77.1
67.8
41.6
23.5 19 14
0
(TMS)
DEPT-135
200
0
(TMS)
DEPT-90
200
0
(TMS)
C.
C 5H12O
1 H-decoupled
200
spectrum
CDCl3
77.1 74.5
29.8
9.8
0
(TMS)
DEPT-135
200
0
(TMS)
DEPT-90
200
0
(TMS)
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