Research

Scientists utilize the Chemistry NMR Facility to study a very broad range of compounds and research topics, and equipment in the facility has a broad range of capabilities to match.
Automation: SampleJet robots on our 400s provide support for checking the structures of large numbers of new synthetic compounds, as well as for obtaining large-scale data on large numbers of samples, such as for catalysis surveys.  Our 500s and 600 have smaller robots that enable multiple samples to be run during long sessions, including overnights.
Multinuclear: At the same time, multinuclear probes on the 400s obtain not just ¹H and ¹³C spectra of organic compounds, but greatly extend the range of nuclei by observing ⁷Li, ¹¹B, ¹⁵N, ¹⁹F, ²⁹Si, ³¹P, ¹¹³Cd, ¹¹⁹Sn, ¹⁹⁵Pt, ¹¹⁹Hg, and other nuclei. One 500 extends this capability further, with state-of-the-art sensitivity for ¹³C, and observation of ²H. One 400 and the other 500 can detect all magnetically active nuclei, including ²H, ⁶Li, ¹⁴N, ¹⁷O, ²³Na, ²⁷Al, ⁵¹V, ⁵⁷Fe, ⁵⁹Co, ⁸⁹Y, ¹⁰³Rh, ¹⁰⁹Ag, ¹³³Cs, ¹⁸³W.
Variable Temperature: Temperature is a fundamental variable for chemical reactions, so our instruments provide broad capabilities ranging from -150 to +150^oC. (Larger ranges for temperature and pressure, enabled on our 360, are discussed below.) Reaction monitoring, determination of kinetics and mechanistics, and chemical and conformational exchange are all regularly performed in the Facility.
Sensitivity: The Facility has state-of-the-art ¹³C and ¹⁹F sensitivity, and excellent sensitivity for nuclei resonating ¹⁵N and higher, and very good sensitivity for all other magnetically active nuclei. Research described below involving chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (CIDNP) enables unprecedented sensitivity for certain classes of compounds.
Diffusion: Researchers measure self-diffusion constants on our spectrometers. Peptide aggregation, dimer/trimer/tetramer/etc formation, confirmation of nanoparticle functionalization, and membrane permeability are some areas where diffusion measurements are used.
Ligand Binding and Exchange: All methods for ligand binding — including STD, CPMG, ¹⁹F — are available in the Facility. While many have been developed specifically for biological studies, they can be adapted to many areas of chemical research.