N + 1 rule

Definition

The n + 1 rule is a guideline in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy that predicts the number of peaks (splitting pattern) a signal will split into due to spin-spin coupling with neighboring hydrogen atoms. It states that if a hydrogen atom is coupled with n neighboring hydrogens, the NMR signal will split into n + 1 peaks.

Related terms

Spin: Spin Coupling - The interaction between the magnetic moments of nearby nuclei that leads to the splitting of NMR signals.

Chemical Shift: A measure of the change in the resonance frequency of a nucleus relative to a standard reference point, reflecting its electronic environment.

Multiplet: A group of closely spaced NMR signals resulting from spin-spin splitting, indicative of complex coupling between non-equivalent nuclei