Adiabatic sweep cross-polarization magic-angle-spinning NMR of half-integer quadrupolar spins

•BRAIN-CPMAS was explored on systems containing S≥3/2 nuclides under fast magic-angle spinning.•The method is effective in polarizing the central transition of these nuclei while utilizing low rf powers.•Level-crossing phenomena among the energy levels that is induced by MAS-modulated quadrupolar oscillations is largely avoided.•Extensive numerical simulations and an average Hamiltonian theory successfully describe the processes for isolated 1H-S(⩾3/2) spin pairs.