Dipolar contribution to NMR spin-lattice relaxation of protons

Dipole-dipole interactions between protons in a glucopyranose derivative have been studied by means of the nuclear Overhauser effect and by spin-lattice relaxation experiments. The Overhauser enhancement measurements utilize a new pulse technique which permits the saturating field to have any specified spectral density function so that finite frequency bands in the NMR spectrum can be irradiated. By this method, the dipolar interactions between the various pairs of protons are evaluated. In contrast, the dipolar relaxation of a chosen proton by all other protons in the sample has been determined by comparing the inversion-recovery rates after selective and nonselective 180° pulses. The relaxation measurements indicate that the relaxation in this molecule is purely dipolar in origin. The Overhauser enhancement measurements of one proton are used to determine the contribution to its relaxation from two neighboring protons and, from these results, information about the geometry of the pyranose ring is evaluated.