Nanocapsule dispersions are investigated by H-1-C-13 cross polarization experiments. The capsule walls, made up from polybutylcyanoacrylate, are detectable merely as a solid state signal, whereas the triglyceride forming the liquid core and the surfactant on the outside of the capsules give rise to narrow resonance lines in the cp-spectrum indicating their mobility. In order to clarify the mechanism of cross polarization for the mobile components, the time-resolved polarization of the corresponding C-13-signals is investigated. Further, the spin-lattice relaxation times for the proton magnetization in the rotating frame are studied under direct excitation as well as under cross polarization conditions. Based on the results, we propose a special mechanism of cross polarization which is initiated by a temporary adsorption of mobile molecules to the more rigid capsule surface. During this short period of immobilization, the polarization is transferred from H-1 to C-13 nuclei. After desorption, the freshly generated C-13-signal is essentially conserved, now being motionally averaged by a high molecular mobility and detectable as a narrow line in the corresponding spectrum. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-9606(00)70109-7].