Spin-Spin Interactions in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. Contact Contribution

Abstract

A method for calculating the contact contribution to spin‐spin interactions between nuclei in nonaromatic molecules is described. The method is based on the valence bond model. The equivalent Hamiltonian of the Dirac vector model is used for a perturbation calculation in a representation where the total spin of the two electrons in each bond in the molecule is a good quantum number. The Ramsey‐Purcell contact term in the interaction is calculated by a double perturbation method where only terms linear in the electron‐nuclear interactions are considered but the perturbation is carried to higher order in the exchange integrals. In this way the interaction constants can be obtained explicitly in terms of the exchange integrals, and the calculation of the valence bond wave functions is avoided. It is then possible to see how the signs and magnitudes of the interaction constants depend on these integrals and what the dominant interaction mechanisms are. The perturbation series is evaluated explicitly with the electron nuclear contact interaction and the results are compared with the results of a similar calculation based on Ramsey's closure formula. In this way the objections against the closure procedure can be avoided. It is shown that Ramsey's formula can be used when different average energy separations are used for terms of different order in the expansion. The results of Ramsey for H₂ and of Karplus et al. for hydrogen atoms separated by two and three bonds and the justification of the method of calculation used by them are discussed in detail. It is found that only perturbation terms of one type are important in each of the cases discussed by these authors and therefore their procedure can be justified. The results previously obtained by the author for spin‐spin interactions in the allyl group are also discussed.