Pulse sequences for solvent suppression with minimal spectral distortion

A new family of pulse sequences is described which allows the measurement of spectra in systems with strong interfering resonances such as those of solvents. By combining broadband excitation with the use of binomial pulse sequences an excitation spectrum is obtained which is substantially flat over the region of interest except for an approximately Gaussian null at a chosen frequency. This is in contrast to existing techniques which deliver maximum excitation at only a few frequencies and hence are unsuitable for most two-dimensional NMR experiments, which require uniform excitation of all resonances. Results are reported for one- and two-dimensional experiments on dilute solutions of peptides in 90% H2O/10% D2O. © 1986.