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P-31 NMR Spectroscopy

Nadia Lara

Andrew R. Barron

This work is produced by OpenStax-CNX and licensed under the

Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0

1 Introduction
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Phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance ( P NMR) is conceptually the same as proton ( H) NMR. The
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P nucleus is useful in NMR spectroscopy due to its relatively high gyromagnetic ratio (17.235 MHzT ). For
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comparison, the gyromagnetic ratios of H and C are (42.576 MHz T ) and (10.705 MHz T ), respectively.
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Furthermore, P has a 100% natural isotopic abundance. Like the H nucleus, the P nucleus has a nuclear
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spin of /2 which makes spectra relatively easy to interpret. P NMR is an excellent technique for studying
phosphorus containing compounds, such as organic compounds and metal coordination complexes.

2 Dierences between 1 H and 31 P NMR

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There are certain signicant dierences between H and P NMR. While H NMR spectra is referenced
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to tetramethylsilane [Si(CH3 )4 ], the chemical shifts in P NMR are typically reported relative to 85%
phosphoric acid ( = 0 ppm), which is used as an external standard due to its reactivity. However, trimethyl
phosphite, P(OCH3 )3 , is also used since unlike phosphoric acid its shift ( = 140 ppm) is not dependent
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on concentration or pH. As in H NMR, positive chemical shifts correspond to a downeld shift from the
standard. However, prior to the mid-1970s, the convention was the opposite. As a result, older texts
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and papers report shifts using the opposite sign. Chemical shifts in P NMR commonly depend on the
concentration of the sample, the solvent used, and the presence of other compounds. This is because the
external standard does not take into account the bulk properties of the sample. As a result, reported chemical
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shifts for the same compound could vary by 1 ppm or more, especially for phosphate groups (P=O). P
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NMR spectra are often recorded with all proton signals decoupled, i.e., P-{ H}, as is done with C NMR.
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This gives rise to single, sharp signals per unique P nucleus. Herein, we will consider both coupled and
decoupled spectra.

3 Interpreting spectra
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As in H NMR, phosphorus signals occur at dierent frequencies depending on the electron environment of
each phosphorus nucleus (Figure 1). In this section we will study a few examples of phosphorus compounds
with varying chemical shifts and coupling to other nuclei.

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Figure 1: Chemical shift ranges for dierent types of phosphorus compounds.

3.1 Dierent phosphorus environments and their coupling to 1 H

Consider the structure of 2,6,7-trioxa-1,4-diphosphabicyclo[2.2.2]octane [P (OCH2 )3 P ] shown in Figure 2.
The subscripts and are simply used to dierentiate the two phosphorus nuclei. According to Table 1, we
expect the shift of P to be downeld of the phosphoric acid standard, roughly around 125 ppm to 140 ppm
and the shift of P to be upeld of the standard, between -5 ppm and -70 ppm. In the decoupled spectrum
shown in Figure 2, we can assign the phosphorus shift at 90.0 ppm to P and the shift at -67.0 ppm to P .

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Figure 2: Structure and decoupled 31 P spectrum (31 P-{1 H}) of P (OCH2 )3 P .

Figure 3 shows the coupling of the phosphorus signals to the protons in the compound. We expect
a stronger coupling for P because there are only two bonds separating P from H, whereas three bonds
separate P from H (J PCH > J POCH ). Indeed, J PCH = 8.9 Hz and J POCH = 2.6 Hz, corroborating our peak
assignments above.

Figure 3: The 31 P spin coupled spectrum of P (OCH2 )3 P .

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Finally, Figure 4 shows the H spectrum of P (OCH2 )3 P (Figure 5), which shows a doublet of doublets
for the proton signal due to coupling to the two phosphorus nuclei.

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Figure 4: 1 H spectrum of P (OCH2 )3 P and proton splitting pattern due to phosphorus.

As suggested by the data in Figure 1 we can predict and observe changes in phosphorus chemical shift
by changing the coordination of P. Thus for the series of compounds with the structure shown in Figure 5
the dierent chemical shifts corresponding to dierent phosphorus compounds are shown in Table 1.

Figure 5: Structure of [XP (OCH2 )3 P Y].

X Y P chemical shift (ppm) P chemical shift (ppm)

- - 90.0 -67.0

O O -18.1 6.4

S - 51.8 -70.6

Table 1: 31
P chemical shifts for variable coordination of [XP (OCH2 )3 P Y] (Figure 5). Data from K. J.
Coskran and J. G. Verkade, Inorg. Chem., 1965, 4, 1655.

3.2 Coupling to uorine

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F NMR is very similar to P NMR in that F has spin /2 and is a 100% abundant isotope. As a result,
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F NMR is a great technique for uorine-containing compounds and allows observance of P-F coupling.

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The coupled P and F NMR spectra of ethoxybis(triuoromethyl)phosphine, P(CF3 )2 (OCH2 CH3 ), are
shown in Figure 6. It is worth noting the splitting due to J PCF = 86.6 Hz.

Figure 6: Structure, 31 P-{1 H} spectrum (A), and 19

F-{1 H} spectrum (B) for P(CF3 )2 (OCH2 CH3 ).
Data from K. J. Packer, J. Chem. Soc., 1963, 960.

3.3 31 P-1 H coupling

Consider the structure of dimethyl phosphonate, OPH(OCH3 )2 , shown in Figure 7. As the phosphorus
nucleus is coupled to a hydrogen nucleus bound directly to it, that is, a coupling separated by a single bond,
we expect J PH to be very high. Indeed, the separation is so large (715 Hz) that one could easily mistake the
split peak for two peaks corresponding to two dierent phosphorus nuclei.

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Figure 7: Structure and 31 P NMR spectrum of OPH(OCH3 )2 with only the OCH3 protons decoupled.

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This strong coupling could also lead us astray when we consider the H NMR spectrum of dimethyl
phosphonate (Figure 8). Here we observe two very small peaks corresponding to the phosphine proton.
The peaks are separated by such a large distance and are so small relative to the methoxy doublet (ratio
of 1:1:12), that it would be easy to confuse them for an impurity. To assign the small doublet, we could
decouple the phosphorus signal at 11 ppm, which will cause this peak to collapse into a singlet.

Figure 8: 1 H spectrum of OPH(OCH3 )2 . Data from K. Moedritzer, J. Inorg. Nucl. Chem. , 1961, 22,
19.

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4 Obtaining 31 P spectra
4.1 Sample preparation
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Unlike C NMR, which requires high sample concentrations due to the low isotopic abundance of C, P
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sample preparation is very similar to H sample preparation. As in other NMR experiments, a P NMR
sample must be free of particulate matter. A reasonable concentration is 2-10 mg of sample dissolved in
0.6-1.0 mL of solvent. If needed, the solution can be ltered through a small glass ber. Note that the
solid will not be analyzed in the NMR experiment. Unlike
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H NMR, however, the sample does not to be
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dissolved in a deuterated solvent since common solvents do not have P nuclei to contribute to spectra.
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This is true, of course, only if a H NMR spectrum is not to be obtained from this sample. Being able to
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use non-deuterated solvents oers many advantages to P NMR, such as the simplicity of assaying purity
and monitoring reactions, which will be discussed later.

4.2 Instrument operation

Instrument operation will vary according to instrumentation and software available. However, there are a
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few important aspects to instrument operation relevant to P NMR. The instrument probe, which excites
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nuclear spins and detects chemical shifts, must be set up appropriately for a P NMR experiment. For
an instrument with a multinuclear probe, it is a simple matter to access the NMR software and make the
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switch to a P experiment. This will select the appropriate frequency for P. For an instrument which has
separate probes for dierent nuclei, it is imperative that one be trained by an expert user in changing the
probes on the spectrometer.
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Before running the NMR experiment, consider whether the P spectrum should include coupling to
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protons. Note that P spectra are typically reported with all protons decoupled, i.e., 1P-{ H}. This is
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usually the default setting for a P NMR experiment. To change the coupling setting, follow the instructions
specic to your NMR instrument software.
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As mentioned previously, chemical shifts in P NMR are reported relative to 85% phosphoric acid. This
must be an external standard due to the high reactivity of phosphoric acid. One method for standardizing
an experiment uses a coaxial tube inserted into the sample NMR tube (Figure 9). The 85% H3 PO4 signal
will appear as part of the sample NMR spectrum and can thus be set to 0 ppm.

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Figure 9: Diagram of NMR tube with inserted coaxial reference insert. Image Courtesy of Wilmad-
LabGlass; All Rights Reserved.

Another way to reference an NMR spectrum is to use a 85% H3 PO4 standard sample. These can be
prepared in the laboratory or purchased commercially. To allow for long term use, these samples are typically
vacuum sealed, as opposed to capped the way NMR samples typically are. The procedure for using a separate
reference is as follows.

1. Insert NMR sample tube into spectrometer.

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2. Tune the P probe and shim the magnetic eld according to your individual instrument procedure.
3. Remove NMR sample tube and insert H3 PO4 reference tube into spectrometer.
4. Begin NMR experiment. As scans proceed, perform a fourier transform and set the phosphorus signal
to 0 ppm. Continue to reference spectrum until the shift stops changing.
5. Stop experiment.
6. Remove H3 PO4 reference tube and insert NMR sample into spectrometer.
7. Run NMR experiment without changing the referencing of the spectrum.

5 31 P NMR applications
5.1 Assaying sample purity
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P NMR spectroscopy gives rise to single sharp peaks that facilitate dierentiating phosphorus-containing
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species, such as starting materials from products. For this reason, P NMR is a quick and simple technique
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for assaying sample purity. Beware, however, that a clean P spectrum does not necessarily suggest a
pure compound, only a mixture free of phosphorus-containing contaminants.
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P NMR can also be used to determine the optical purity of a chiral sample. Adding an enantiomer to
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the chiral mixture to form two dierent diastereomers will give rise to two unique chemical shifts in the P
spectrum. The ratio of these peaks can then be compared to determine optical purity.

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5.2 Monitoring reactions

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As suggested in the previous section, P NMR can be used to monitor a reaction involving phosphorus
compounds. Consider the reaction between a slight excess of organic diphosphine ligand and a nickel(0)
bis-cyclooctadiene, (1).

(1)
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The reaction can be followed by P NMR by simply taking a small aliquot from the reaction mixture and
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adding it to an NMR tube, ltering as needed. The sample is then used to acquire a P NMR spectrum
and the procedure can be repeated at dierent reaction times. The data acquired for these experiments is
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found in Figure 10. The changing in P peak intensity can be used to monitor the reaction, which begins
with a single signal at -4.40 ppm, corresponding to the free diphosphine ligand. After an hour, a new signal
appears at 41.05 ppm, corresponding the the diphosphine nickel complex. The downeld peak grows as the
reaction proceeds relative to the upeld peak. No change is observed between four and ve hours, suggesting
the conclusion of the reaction.

Figure 10: 31 P-{1 H} NMR spectra of the reaction of diphosphine ligand with nickel(0) bis -
cyclooctadiene to make a diphosphine nickel complex over time.

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There are a number of advantages for using P for reaction monitoring when available as compared to
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H NMR:

There is no need for a deuterated solvent, which simplies sample preparation and saves time and
resources.
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The P spectrum is simple and can be analyzed quickly. The corresponding H NMR spectra for the
above reaction would include a number of overlapping peaks for the two phosphorus species as well as
peaks for both free and bound cyclooctadiene ligand.
Purication of product is also easy assayed.

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P NMR does not eliminate the need for H NMR chacterization, as impurities lacking phosphorus will
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not appear in a P experiment. However, at the completion of the reaction, both the crude and puried
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products can be easily analyzed by both H and P NMR spectroscopy.

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5.3 Measuring epoxide content of carbon nanomaterials.

One can measure the amount of epoxide on nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes and fullerenes by
monitoring a reaction involving phosphorus compounds in a similar manner to that described above. This
technique uses the catalytic reaction of methyltrioxorhenium ((2)). An epoxide reacts with methyltriox-
orhenium to form a ve membered ring. In the presence of triphenylphosphine (PPH3 ), the catalyst is
regenerated, forming an alkene and triphenylphosphine oxide (OPPh3 ). The same reaction can be applied
to carbon nanostructures and used to quantify the amount of epoxide on the nanomaterial. (3) illustrates
the quantication of epoxide on a carbon nanotube.

(2)

(3)

Because the amount of initial PPh3 used in the reaction is known, the relative amounts of PPh3 and OPPh3
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can be used to stoichiometrically determine the amount of epoxide on the nanotube. P NMR spectroscopy
is used to determine the relative amounts of PPh3 and OPPh3 (Figure 11).

Figure 11: 31 P spectrum of experiment before addition of Re complex (top) and at the completion of
experiment (bottom).

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The integration of the two P signals is used to quantify the amount of epoxide on the nanotube according
to (4).

(4)

Thus, from a known quantity of PPh3 , one can nd the amount of OPPh3 formed and relate it stoichiometri-
cally to the amount of epoxide on the nanotube. Not only does this experiment allow for such quantication,
it is also unaected by the presence of the many dierent species present in the experiment. This is be-
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cause the compounds of interest, PPh3 and OPPh3 , are the only ones that are characterized by P NMR
spectroscopy.

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6 Conclusion
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P NMR spectroscopy is a simple technique that can be used alongside H NMR to characterize phosphorus-
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containing compounds. When used on its own, the biggest dierence from H NMR is that there is no need
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to utilize deuterated solvents. This advantage leads to many dierent applications of P NMR, such as
assaying purity and monitoring reactions.

7 Bibliography
K. J. Coskran and J. G. Verkade, Inorg. Chem., 1965, 4, 1655.
M. M. Crutcheld, C. H. Dungan, J. H. Letcher, V. Mark, and J. R. Van Wazer, P31: Nuclear Magnetic
Resonance. Interscience, NY (1967).
W. Guo, K. F. Kelly, A. R. Barron and W. E. Billups, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2008, 130, 5414.
K. Moedritzer, J. Inorg. Nucl. Chem., 1961, 22, 19.
D. Ogrin, J. Chattopadhyay, A. K. Sadana, E. Billups, and A. R. Barron, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2006,
128, 11322.
K. J. Packer, J. Chem. Soc., 1963, 960.
J. G. Verkade, and L. D. Quin. Phosphorus-31 NMR Spectroscopy in Stereochemical Analysis. VCH,
Deereld Beach, FL (1987).

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