Concepts in Magnetic Resonance, 1992, 4, 269-270
Book Review
Basic One- and -0-Dimensional
By Horst Friebolin
VCH Publishers, New York, 1991, 334 + xxi pages, $45.00, ISBN 0-8957>972-0
In the Preface of this book, the author
states that he "set out to present in as simple
a way as possible the physical fundamentals,
the measurement techniques, the significance
of the spectral parameters, and the analysis
and interpretation of NMR spectra. The
theoretical derivations have therefore been
kept to a minimum, and where exact quantum
mechanical calculations are involved, the book
usually merely states the results and applies
them." The author has been extremely
successful in accomplishing his goals.
The author has taken an integrated
approach with respect to proton and carbon
NMR spectroscopy, even though proton
spectral parameters are treated separately
from carbon parameters. For example, carbon
chemical shifts are covered immediately after
proton shifts. Next, couplings are explained;
first proton couplings, followed by carbon.
The book is not artificially divided into proton
NMR in the first section, and carbon NMR in
another.
Chapter 1begins with the physical basis of
N M R spectroscopy, and the first eight pages
explain the nature of the NMR experiment.
This is followed by ten pages of a description
of the pulsed NMR experiment and covers
pulse angles, relaxation, the Fourier transform,
and time averaging. This is not an extensive
treatment, and although it is done well, it may
be too early to introduce some of these
concepts to a beginner. It may have been
better to save these for a later section and
immediately move on to the next part of this
chapter, which is a brief survey of spectral
parameters. The basic concepts of shielding,
couplings, and signal intensities are covered in
the latter part.
Details of shielding and the chemical shift
are covered in the next chapter, first in a
general way, and then specZcally for proton,
followed by carbon chemical shifts. The
factors that influence the shifts of alkanes,
NMR Spectroscopy
alkenes, alkynes, arenes, and carbonyl
compounds are treated here, as well as the
effects of substituents. The chapter ends with
a discussion of the relationship between the
spectrum and the molecular structure,
including equivalence, symmetry, and chirality.
Chapter 3 focuses on spin-spin coupling in
weakly-coupled systems, which lead to first-
order spectra. The effects of substituents and
molecular geometry are well explained.
Proton-proton, proton-carbon, and carbon-
carbon couplings are amply covered. Strongly-
coupled systems and second-order spectra,
including magnetic equivalence, are the
subjects of the next chapter. Two-, three-,
and four-spin systems are analyzed, and the
chapter concludes with a very brief discussion
of computer-aided spectrum simulation and
analysis of carbon spectra.
Chapter 5 is a short, 12-page survey of
double-resonance and decoupling experiments,
including proton homonuclear decoupling,
solvent suppression, proton broad-band
decoupled carbon spectroscopy, gated
decoupling, and off-resonance and selective
decoupling. Unfortunately, some advanced
topics are mentioned here that may confuse
the reader. For example, in the description of
the gated decoupling experiment, NOEs and
long T,s are discussed-it would be difficult
to explain the need for such experiments
without discussing NOEs and long T,s. Even
though these topics are very briefly mentioned
in Chapter 1, they are not covered thoroughly
until Chapters 7 and 10. It may have been
better to cover gated decoupling in Chapter
10. Chapter 5 concludes with a convenient
summary of the experiments and with one-
paragraph descriptions explaining the uses of
each.
The assignment of proton and carbon
signals are covered in Chapter 6, which is
rather late for most organic chemists. This is
a nice chapter, and the author takes the
269
 Book Review

reader through the detailed steps in solving a
structural problem. The difficulty here is that
the author has waited until rather late to
introduce the simple additivity rules for both
proton and carbon, and how these simple
rules can often lead to fairly accurate
predictions of spectra. Much of this material
would have fit nicely in Chapter 2.
Chapter 7 is devoted entirely to relaxation,
and the measurements of T,, T,, and T', are
clearly explained with easy-to-understand
diagrams. The only deficiency in this chapter
is the insufficient number of examples of the
uses of these measurements. It would have
been better if more space had been devoted
to explaining why an organic chemist would
want to know these quantities.
One-dimensional N M R experiments using
complex pulse sequences is the subject of
Chapter 8, which is 35 pages long. Covered
here is the effect of repeated pulses, J-
modulation, polarization transfer, INEPT,
DEPT, and 1D INADEQUATE. Again, the
explanations are clear and accompanied by
easy-to-understand diagrams.
are described. Also included are some useful
suggestions for performing experiments that
employ such reagents.
Chapter 13 (6 pages) deals with
macromolecules, and Chapter 14 (14 pages)
deals with N M R spectroscopy in biochemistry
and medicine. Both of these chapters are
really too short to do much good and
probably should have been left out.
Furthermore, it is this reviewer's opinion that
the last chapter does not rightfully belong in
a book of this type.
Overall, this is an excellent book for
beginners, and even for those who already
have some experience but would like to extend
their capabilities by learning more about the
details of many important experiments. It is
very highly recommended, especially because
of its price, and it would make a worthwhile
addition to anyone's personal library.
Daniel D. Traficante
NMR Concepts

Chapter 9 deals with two-dimensional

(2D) NMR. After an introduction to the
nature of 2D experiments, homo- and hetero-
nuclear J-resolved spectroscopy is covered with
examples of the interpretation of the spectra.
Homo- and hetero-nuclear correlation
experiments are described next, again with
examples of interpretation. The final
experiment covered is 2D INADEQUATE,
and the chapter concludes with three very nice
tables that compare the applications and the
types of information obtainable from multiple-
pulse 1D and 2D experiments.

The nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) is

the subject of Chapter 10. After a well-
written introduction to the theory of the effect,
some applications are given, followed by an
extremely useful section on the experimental
aspects.

"Dynamic N M R Spectroscopy" is the title

of Chapter 11, which begins with a well-
written 12-page introduction to the theory of
rate processes. Brief, but adequate
applications are then given concerning rotation
about bonds, inversion, tautomerism, and
equilibria.

Chapter 12 provides a short (lZpage), but

adequate coverage of shift reagents. The uses
of chiral reagents, as well as chiral solvents,

270