The fluorine and proton chemical shifts in some geminally disubstituted vinylidene fluorides and ethylenes are discussed. For these compounds, at least, there are difficulties with an interpretation based on intramolecular time-dependent electric fields. On the other hand, the shifts correlate with the inverse ionization potentials of the substituents, indicating a paramagnetic effect arising from the second term in Ramsey's expression. It is suggested that the effect operates via the bonds and not across space. Methyl proton shifts in a series of substituted methyl compounds of group IV, V, and VI elements show similar correlations. A practical application of the correlation to spectral analysis problems is given.
Vacuum instability in time-dependent electric fields: New example of an exactly solvable case
