Fine-tuning of the diffusion dimension of -OH groups for high resolution DOSY NMR applications in crude enzymatic transformations and mixtures of organic compounds

A convenient DOSY methodology was developed that can be applied directly in crude reaction products or mixtures containing polyphenol organic compounds, for the rapid identification of their various components without any prior separation or isolation. The method is based on the resolution enhancement of the resonances of the -OH protons and the fine-tuning of their diffusion coefficients to the molecular diffusion coefficient; this can be achieved in DMSO-d6 in combination with the addition of picric acid and the use of temperatures near the freezing point of the solution. This method, which does not modify the apparent molecular diffusion, allowed the recording of high resolution DOSY spectra, both in crude enzymatic reactions and mixtures of organic compounds based on the phenolic OH NMR spectral region which is much less crowded and, thus, much more informative compared to the aromatic region.

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