A nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of solid tetraphosphorus trisulphide
The 31 P n. m. r. spectrum and spin–lattice relaxation time in polycrystalline P 4 S 3 have been measured between 77 and 500 K in the range 7 to 25 MHz. In phase II the 31 P n. m. r. spectra and second moments are dominated by the anisotropic chemical shift interactions. Close to the first-order phase transition at 314 K the spectra are narrowed by reorientation of the molecules about their triad axes. This motion also generates anisotropicshift spin-lattice relaxation notable for its absence of frequency dependence. The activation energy of this motion was found to be 34 kJ mol -1 . Nuclear dipolar interactions play only a minor role. In phase 1 the molecules exhibit rapid quasi-isotropic reorientation and diffusion. The anisotropic broadening interactions are averaged out and an AB 3 high-resolution spectrum of a doublet and quartet are resolved at 420 K, well below the melting point, 446 K. In this phase the spin–rotation interaction relaxation mechanism becomes dominant. Taking advantage of the remarkable motional narrowing in this compound we report the first solid-state n. m. r. J spectrum. This spectrum, recorded at 410 K, allowed the J coupling between apical and basal nuclei in solid P 4 S 3 to be measured accurately, 70.4 ± 0.5 Hz.