Integration of High Field NMR into the Chemistry Curriculum

Colgate University, Hamilton NY

Investigators

Abstract

Chemistry (12) To enrich the current undergraduate science education, NMR will be integrated throughout the chemistry curriculum to engage students majoring in chemistry, biology, neuroscience, and other fields. Students will experience the discovery of scientific inquiry through investigation of molecular structure. Extensive use of NMR will begin early in the organic chemistry sequence and will continue through senior student/faculty research. Most of the laboratory experiments are adapted from J. Chem. Educ. (JCE) articles or NSF-DUE sponsored work. In organic chemistry molecular symmetry and carbon substitution will be introduced early via 13 C NMR and DEPT experiments as reported by Reeves-JCE'98. Stereoisomers and 19 F NMR will be explored according to the combined work of Branz-JCE'85, Piers-JCE'89, and Rojas-DUE-9952633. Homonuclear and heteronuclear correlation, as well as NOESY, spectra will be used to make proton and carbon assignments. These two dimensional experiments will provide hard evidence for spectral assignments in labs, which have suffered from lack of student analysis, see Piers-JCE'91; Mills-JCE'96; Castro-JCE'98; and McDonald, DUE- 9850423. The instrumental methods course will explore magnetic susceptibility and anisotropy, see Arnold-JCE'98. Physical chemistry labs will implement variable temperature NMR studies for kinetics and thermodynamic determinations based on conformational isomers according to Brown-JCE'98 and Dwyer-JCE'98. Mathcad exercises will also be employed to help students understand how the Fourier transform process works. Senior courses in biochemistry and advanced organic will further utilize 2D techniques, plus 31 P NMR, for analysis of gramicidin S and adenosine phosphates, see Lee-JCE'96 and Craik-JCE'91. Student/faculty research projects will likewise benefit from a modern high field NMR. The new instrument will include gradient capabilities to drastically reduce acquisition times and a higher field strength magnet to improve resolution. A broadband probe is essential for several student/faculty research projects. This instrument and the revised curriculum will together help to educate students, excite them about the power of modern NMR spectroscopy, and prepare them for careers in the chemical sciences.