A comparison of calculated NMR shielding probes

In a strong magnetic field, covalently bonded hydrogen nuclei located over the plane of an anisotropic pi bond-containing functional group experience magnetic shielding (or deshielding) that results from the combined effect of the magnetic anisotropy of the functional group and other nearby covalent bonds plus other intramolecular shielding effects. These effects can now be calculated with reasonable accuracy using ab initio methods. We have investigated several computational probes of the magnetic shielding surface near anisotropic functional groups and compared the results to previous reports of experimental observations in example structures. GIAO-HF in Gaussian 03 was employed to calculate isotropic shielding values and to predict the net NMR shielding increment for several computational probes: methane, diatomic hydrogen, a hydrogen atom, a helium atom, or a ghost atom, each held in various positions over simple test molecules (ethene, ethyne, benzene and HCN) that contain the functional groups studied. Also, the effect of performing single point calculations versus constrained geometry-optimized calculations was examined. In addition, the effect of the angle of the orientation of the probe molecule (in the case of CH(4) and H(2)) relative to the pi bond in the test molecule was studied. Finally, the atomic charges in the molecular probes (CH(4) and H(2)) were computed to investigate the nature of the interaction of the probe with the test molecule. The optimal, most economical computational results were obtained using single point calculations of a diatomic hydrogen probe oriented perpendicular to the surface (or axis) of the test molecule.