Principles and features of single-scan two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy

Two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D NMR) provides one of the foremost contemporary tools available for the elucidation of molecular structure, function, and dynamics. Execution of a 2D NMR experiment generally involves scanning a series of time-domain signals S(t(2)), as a function of a t(1) time variable which undergoes parametric incrementation throughout independent experiments. Very recently, we proposed and demonstrated a general approach whereby this serial mode of data acquisition is parallelized, enabling the acquisition of complete bidimensional NMR data sets via the recording of a single transient. The present paper discusses in more detail various conceptual and experimental aspects of this novel 2D NMR methodology. The basic principles of the approach are reviewed, various homo- and heteronuclear NMR applications are illustrated, and the main features and artifacts affecting the method are derived. Extensions to higher-dimensional experiments are also briefly noted.