The method of off-resonance ROESY consists of studying relaxation in t
he presence of a strong off-resonance irradiation. Its theory is devel
oped under very general assumptions and its advantages are described o
ver more standard methods: suppression of HOHAHA transfers and possibi
lity by the appropriate choice of the effective field to check the onl
y existence of dipolar relaxation, to investigate internuclear dynamic
s, or to isolate the study of chemical exchange. Experimental illustra
tions are given for some of the predictions. (C) 1994 Academic Press,
Inc.