Natural Abundance 17O DNP NMR Provides Precise O-H Distances and Insights into the Brønsted Acidity of Heterogeneous Catalysts
 

Natural Abundance 17O DNP NMR Provides Precise O-H Distances and Insights into the Brønsted Acidity of Heterogeneous Catalysts


Brønsted acidic sites on catalyst surfaces are observed by 17O dynamic nuclear polarization-enhanced NMR spectroscopy, which hyperpolarizes nuclei by microwave-induced saturation of electrons. In their Communication (DOI: 10.1002/anie.201704032), M. Pruski et al. report the measurement of O-H distances with sub-picometer precision. The length of the O-H bond is directly related to the Brønsted acidity of the sites and is also a reporter of the formation of intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions.

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