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Cadmium has two NMR active spin ½ nuclei, ¹¹¹Cd and ¹¹³Cd, that yield narrow signals (fig. 1) over a wide chemical shift range. ¹¹³Cd is very slightly the more sensitive nucleus and is therefore usually the preferred nucleus. Cadmium NMR is used for the study organocadmium compounds, cadmium complexes, inorganic cadmium and cadmium binding to proteins and other molecules of biological interest.

Fig. 1. Comparison of the (proton decoupled) NMR spectra of the cadmium isotopes ¹¹¹Cd and ¹¹³Cd in neat dimethyl cadmium

Each type of cadmium compound has its characteristic chemical shift range (fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Chemical shift ranges for cadmium NMR

Both cadmium nuclei couple to other nuclei. ¹H, ¹³C, ³¹P and ⁷⁷Se couplings have been reported. On the coupling nucleus two set of couplings are observed as satellites as in the ¹³C spectrum in fig. 3. One bond couplings to ¹³C are typically around 500 Hz with the ¹¹¹Cd coupling slightly smaller than the ¹¹³Cd coupling.

Fig. 3. ¹³C-NMR spectrum of Me₂Cd showing coupling to both cadmium nuclei

Two and three bond couplings to ¹H are typically in the region of 50 Hz. The difference between the ¹¹¹Cd and ¹¹³Cd coupling constants with ¹H is small so appear merged in the spectrum in fig. 4.

Fig. 4. ¹H-NMR spectrum of Me₂Cd showing apparently a single coupling to both cadmium nuclei

Resolution enhancment sepearates the two couplings (fig. 5).

Fig. 5. ¹H-NMR spectrum of Me₂Cd showing separate couplings to each cadmium nucleus

¹¹¹Cadmium NMR

(¹¹¹Cd) ¹¹¹Cadmium is slightly less sensitive than ¹¹³Cd so is not usually the preferred nucleus of cadmium. It is a spin ½ nucleus and yields sharp signals (fig. 6).

Fig. 6. ¹¹¹Cd-NMR spectrum of neat dimethyl cadmium showing coupling to ¹³C as satellite signals

Cadmium often shows couplings to other nuclei, ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁹F, etc. Cadmium couplings to protons can be removed by decoupling as in fig. 6. The coupled spectrum of dimethyl cadmium (fig. 7) shows a two bond coupling to ¹H, (²J_111Cd,H) of 49.6 Hz.

Fig. 7. ¹¹¹Cd-NMR spectrum of neat dimethyl cadmium showing coupling to ¹H

Properties of ¹¹¹Cd

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Property	Value
Spin	1/2
Natural abundance	12.80%
Chemical shift range	650 ppm, from -650 to 0
Frequency ratio (Ξ)	21.215480%
Reference compound	Me2Cd
Linewidth of reference	2.7 Hz
T1 of reference	0.65 s
Receptivity rel. to 1H at natural abundance	1.24 × 10-3
Receptivity rel. to 1H when enriched	6.69 × 10-3
Receptivity rel. to 13C at natural abundance	7.27
Receptivity rel. to 13C when enriched	59.8

¹¹³Cadmium NMR

(¹¹³Cd) ¹¹³Cadmium is slightly more sensitive than ¹¹¹Cd so is usually the preferred nucleus of cadmium. It is a spin ½ nucleus and yields sharp signals (fig. 8).

Fig. 8. ¹¹³Cd-NMR spectrum of neat dimethyl cadmium showing coupling to ¹³C as satellite signals

Cadmium often shows couplings to other nuclei, ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁹F, etc. Cadmium couplings to protons can be removed by decoupling as in fig. 8. The coupled spectrum of dimethyl cadmium (fig. 9) shows a two bond coupling to ¹H, (²J_113Cd,H) of 51.9 Hz.

Fig. 9. ¹¹³Cd-NMR spectrum of neat dimethyl cadmium showing coupling to ¹H

Properties of ¹¹³Cd

(Click here for explanation)

Property	Value
Spin	1/2
Natural abundance	12.22%
Chemical shift range	650 ppm, from -650 to 0
Frequency ratio (Ξ)	22.193175%
Reference compound	Me2Cd
Linewidth of reference	2.5 Hz
T1 of reference	0.65 s
Receptivity rel. to 1H at natural abundance	1.35 × 10-3
Receptivity rel. to 1H when enriched	0.0125
Receptivity rel. to 13C at natural abundance	7.94
Receptivity rel. to 13C when enriched	65.0

Safety note

Some of the materials mentioned here are very dangerous. Ask a qualified chemist for advice before handling them. Qualified chemists should check the relevant safety literature before handling or giving advice about unfamiliar substances. NMR solvents are toxic and most are flammable. Specifically, cadmium is a toxic carcinogen: wear protective gloves. Dimethyl cadmium is volatile: wear protective clothing and work in a hood. Latex gloves do not provide protection.

References

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• C. J. Turner and R. F. M. White, "Heteronuclear magnetic double-resonance studies of cadmium-113 shielding in dialkyl cadmium compounds", J. Magn. Res., 26, 1-5 (1977).
• I. M. Armitage and Y. Boulanger, "Cadmium-113 NMR", NMR Newly Accessible Nucl., 2, 337-365 (1983).
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• Cadmium-113 NMR. Armitage, Ian M.; Boulanger, Yvan. Dep. Mol. Biophys. Biochem., Yale Univ., New Haven, CT, USA. Editor(s): Laszlo, Pierre. NMR Newly Accessible Nucl., 2, 337-65 (1983).
• I. G. Dance, "Applications of cadmium NMR to polycadmium complexes. II. [Cd_x(SPh)_y]^2x-y species in solution in relation to metallothionein aggregates", Inorg. Chim. Acta, 108, 227-230 (1985).
• I. G. Dance, "Applications of cadmium NMR to polycadmium complexes. III. Effects of zinc/cadmium and selenium/sulfur substitution in the tetraadamantanoid cage [S₄Cd₁₀(SPh)₁₆]^4- in relation to heterometal metallothioneins", Aust. J. Chem., 38, 1745-1755 (1985).
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• F. He, X. Mao, "Study of the coordination sites of histidine to cadmium (II)", Bopuxue Zazhi, 13, 25-34 (1996).