Sequential assignments in deoxyribonucleotide tetramers by ³¹P/¹H two‐dimensional shift correlation NMR spectroscopy

The potential of two‐dimensional 31 P/ 1 H shift correlation NMR spectroscopy is demonstrated on three self‐complementary oligodeoxyribonucleotides: [d(CpGpCpG)] 2 , [d(ApCpGpT)] 2 and [d(ApGpCpT)] 2 . The usefulness of this experiment for the sequential assignments of the nucleotides as a complementary technique to homonuclear shift correlation procedures (e.g. COSY) is outlined. The complete 31 P assignments for all three tetramers are given, and are compared with literature data obtained by different approaches. A surprising and, as far as we are aware, previously unreported property of the 4′‐protons in the sugar phosphate backbone is described.