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Abstract: Solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR) spectroscopy has largely overtaken nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) spectroscopy for the study of quadrupolar nuclei. In addition to information on the electric field gradient, SSNMR spectra may offer additional information concerning other NMR interactions such as magnetic shielding. With continued technological advances contributing to developments such as higher magnetic fields, SSNMR boasts several practical advantages over NQR. However, NQR is still a relevant technique, as it may often be the most practical approach in cases of extremely large quadrupolar coupling constants. Here, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of SSNMR and NQR spectroscopies, with the quadrupolar halogens serving as examples. The purpose of this article is to serve as a guide on using SSNMR and NQR as complementary tools, covering some of their practicalities, limitations, and experimental challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present a new program for the exact simulation of solid-state NMR spectra of quadrupolar nuclei in stationary powdered samples which employs diagonalization of the combined Zeeman-quadrupolar Hamiltonian. The program, which we call QUEST (QUadrupolar Exact SofTware), can simulate NMR spectra over the full regime of Larmor and quadrupolar frequency ratios, which encompasses scenarios ranging from high-field NMR to nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR, where the Larmor frequency is zero) and does not make use of approximations when treating the quadrupolar interaction. With the use of the fast powder averaging scheme of Alderman, Solum, and Grant , exact NMR spectral simulations are only marginally slower than the second-order perturbation theory counterpart. The program, which uses a graphical user interface, also incorporates chemical shift anisotropy and non-coincident chemical shift and quadrupolar tensor frames. The program is validated against newly-acquired experimental data through several examples including: the low-field 79/81Br NMR spectra of CaBr2, the 14N overtone NMR spectrum of glycine, the 187Re NQR spectra of Re2(CO)10, and lastly the 127I overtone NQR spectrum of SrI2, which, to the best of our knowledge, represents the first direct acquisition of an overtone NQR spectrum for a powdered sample. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: While the synthetic utility and reactivity of the so-called “GaI” species is reasonably well established, its exact composition remains unknown. Using primarily multinuclear magnetic resonance techniques (and supported with powder X-ray diffraction measurements), we offer some new insights into the composition of “GaI”. Using 127I nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) experiments, it is clearly demonstrated that gallium diiodide (GaI2) is a significant component of this material, while GaI3 is not. This finding is in contrast with a prior literature account, which noted that Ga2I3 (i.e., one equivalent of GaI3 per equivalent of Ga metal) was present in significant amounts. Additional solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR) experiments using the 69/71Ga probe nuclei in multiple magnetic fields clearly establish, via its diagnostic Knight-shifted resonance, the presence of Ga0 metal, which is in agreement with prior literature. Taken together, a composition may be tentatively offered: that “GaI” is, to a large extent, two equivalents of Ga0 metal with two equivalents of GaI2, where the latter is composed of Ga+ and ions. This composition may be represented as [Ga0]2[Ga]+[GaI4]−. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]