High resolution 23Na and 27Al NMR satellite transition spectroscopy (SATRAS) of natural sodalite (Na8Cl2(AlSiO4)6) under magic-angle-spinning

The 23Na and 27Al satellite transition spectroscopy NMR MAS spectra of polycrystalline of natural blue sodalite (Na8Cl2(AlSiO4)6) yielded the electric field gradient and chemical shift tensors at both the 23Na and 27Al lattice sites. The electric field gradients are smaller than those of previously studied similar systems. The principal values of the electric field gradient and chemical shift tensors and the relative orientations of their principal axes were obtained by computer simulating the spectra at two different applied magnetic fields. The relatively large chemical shifts for both the 23Na and 27Al nuclei can be attributed to the presence of 35,37Cl− anions, and the absence of water molecules, in the lattice unit cell.