Introductory Theory and Terminology
14 / 86 H171804E_14_001
Experienced users will always deal in ppm, and spectra reproduced in scientific journals will
have the horizontal scale graduated in ppm and not in Hertz.
The  reader  should  be  aware  of  some  simplifications  that  have  been  made  in  the  above
example. The value of the 
1
H carrier frequency on a 500 MHz spectrometer will not be exactly
500 MHz. The carrier frequency to be used in a ppm calculation should be the precise value
assigned  to  the  parameter  SF01.  Similarly  for  the  600  MHz  and  400  MHz  spectrometers,
quoted  above  the 
1
H  carrier  frequency,  will  not  be  exactly  600  MHz  and  400  MHz,
respectively.
Note also that a positive ppm value denotes a frequency higher than TMS and is defined as
downfield relative to TMS.
3.3 Proton NMR - Chemical Shift
Since 
1
H  is  the  most  commonly  observed  isotope  in  NMR  experiments,  this  shall  now  be
dealt with in greater detail. A 
1
H nucleus contains a single proton and spectra in which 
1
H is
the observe nucleus are normally referred to as proton spectra.
It  was  stated  previously  that  a  proton  in  an  11.7  T  magnet  will  display  a  basic  resonance
frequency of approximately 500 MHz, but that the precise resonance frequency will depend
upon  the  local  atomic  environment.  A  proton  in  a  molecule  of  chloroform  resonates  at  a
slightly different  frequency compared  to  a  proton  in benzene  (C
6
H
6
). Therefore,  the emitted
frequency  acts  as  a  label  which  gives  analysts  qualitative  information  on  the  local  atomic
neighborhood in which a proton is located. This is the basis of NMR.
The  variation  in  precise  resonance  frequency  is  referred  to  as  the  chemical  shift.  The
resonance frequency is shifted by the effect of neighboring atoms and the extent of magnetic
shielding from local electrons discussed earlier. The size of the shift is normally measured in
ppm relative to the TMS peak which is referenced to 0 ppm.
Most  protons,  regardless  of  the  organic  compound  to  which  they  are  bonded,  display
chemical  shifts  within  14  ppm  of  TMS.  The  figure  below  is  an  illustration  of  typical  proton
chemical shifts in organic compounds.
Figure3.6: 1H Chemical Shifts in Organic Compounds