The revision of the structure of
the sesquiterpene aquatolide from
a bicyclo[2.2.0]hexane to a bicyclo[2.1.1]hexane structure using compelling
NMR data, X-ray crystallography, and the recent confirmation via full
synthesis exemplify that the achievement of “structural correctness”
depends on the completeness of the experimental evidence. Archived
FIDs and newly acquired aquatolide spectra demonstrate that archiving
and rigorous interpretation of 1D 1H NMR data may enhance
the reproducibility of (bio)chemical research and curb the growing
trend of structural misassignments. Despite being the most accessible
NMR experiment, 1D 1H spectra encode a wealth of information
about bonds and molecular geometry that may be fully mined by 1H iterative full spin analysis (HiFSA). Fully characterized
1D 1H spectra are unideterminant for a given structure.
The corresponding FIDs may be readily submitted with publications
and collected in databases. Proton NMR spectra are indispensable for
structural characterization even in conjunction with 2D data. Quantum
interaction and linkage tables (QuILTs) are introduced for a more
intuitive visualization of 1D J-coupling relationships,
NOESY correlations, and heteronuclear experiments. Overall, this study
represents a significant contribution to best practices in NMR-based
structural analysis and dereplication.