14N NQR Spectroscopy of Some Amino Acids and Nucleic Bases via Double Resonance in the Laboratory Frame

Abstract

The ¹⁴N nuclear quadrupole resonance spectra and spin‐lattice relaxation times of the amino acids histidine, methionine, cystine, cysteine, and tyrosine as well as of the nucleic bases uracil, thymine, cytosine, and guanine have been determined by a ¹⁴N‐proton double resonance technique in the laboratory frame. The experiments were performed on polycrystalline samples at 77°K or above this temperature. A theoretical estimate of the sensitivity of this method for a variety of experimental conditions is as well presented. It is shown that in contrast to usual double resonance techniques the method works even in the case of a short proton spin‐lattice relaxation time if only the nitrogen relaxation time is long.