Calculations of NMR properties for sI and sII clathrate hydrates of methane, ethane and propane.

Calculations of NMR parameters (the absolute shielding constants and the spin-spin coupling constants) for 5(12), 5(12)6(2) and 5(12)6(4) cages enclathrating CH4, C2H6 and C3H8 molecules are presented. The DFT/B3LYP/HuzIII-su3 level of theory was employed. The (13)C shielding constants of guest molecules are close to available experimental data. In two cases (the ethane in 5(12) and the propane in 5(12)6(2) cages) the (13)C shielding constants are reported for the first time. Inversion of the methyl/methylene (13)C and (1)H shielding constants order is found for propane in the 5(12)6(2) cage. Topological criteria are used to interpret the changes of values of NMR parameters of water molecules and they establish a connection between single cages and bulk crystal.