Origin of <superscript>17</superscript> O NMR chemical shifts based on molecular orbital theory: paramagnetic terms of the pre-α, α and β effects from orbital-to-orbital transitions, along with the effects from vinyl, carbonyl and carboxyl groups.

17 O NMR chemical shifts ( δ (O)) were analysed based on the molecular orbital (MO) theory, using the diamagnetic, paramagnetic and total absolute magnetic shielding tensors ( σ d (O), σ p (O) and σ t (O), respectively). O 2- was selected as the standard for the analysis. An excellent relationship was observed between σ d (O) and the charges on O for O 6+ , O 4+ , O 2+ , O 0 and O 2- . The data from H 2 O, HO + , HO - and H 3 O + were on the correlation line. However, such relationship was not observed for the oxygen species, other than above. The pre-α, α and β effects were evaluated bases on σ t (O), where the pre-α effect arises from the protonation to a lone pair orbital on O 2- , for an example. The 30-40 ppm and 20-40 ppm (downfield shifts) were predicted for the pre-α and β effects, respectively, whereas the values for the α effect was very small in magnitude, where the effect from the hydrogen bond formation should be considered. Similarly, the carbonyl effect in H 2 C[double bond, length as m-dash]O and the carboxyl effects in H(HO)C[double bond, length as m-dash]O were evaluated from MeOH, together with H 2 C[double bond, length as m-dash]CHOH from CH 3 CH 2 OH. Very large downfield shifts of 752, 425 and 207 ppm were predicted for H 2 C[double bond, length as m-dash]O*, H(HO)C[double bond, length as m-dash]O* and H(HO*)C[double bond, length as m-dash]O, respectively, together with the 81 ppm downfield shift for H 2 C[double bond, length as m-dash]CHO*H. The origin of the effect were visualized based on the occupied-to-unoccupied orbital transitions. As a result, the origin of the 17 O NMR chemical shifts ( δ ( 17 O)) can be more easily imaged and understand through the image of the effects. The results would help to understand the role of O in the specific position of a compound in question and the mechanisms to arise the shift values also for the experimental scientists. The aim of this study is to establish the plain rules founded in theory for δ ( 17 O), containing the origin, which has been achieved through the treatments.

Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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