MRI: Acquisition of Digital High-Resolution NMR Equipment

New York University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, the Department of Chemistry at New York University will acquire a 400 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer and upgrade the console of an existing 500 MHz NMR Spectrometer. This equipment will enable researchers to carry out studies on a) metal/ligand conformational dynamics and the mechanism of inversion of an element of helical chirality upon oxidation/reduction in a coordination complex; b) the preparation of libraries of vitamin B12 derivatives; c) the characterization of biologically active and theoretically interesting fullerene adducts; and d) the impact of stereochemistry and DNA base sequence on the conformational mobility of chemical adducts derived from the binding of stereoisomeric benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxides to N2-guanine. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is the most powerful tool available to chemists for the elucidation of the structure of molecules. It is used to identify unknown substances, to characterize specific arrangements of atoms within molecules, and to study the dynamics of interactions between molecules in solution. Access to state-of-the-art NMR spectrometers is essential to chemists who are carrying out frontier research. The results from these NMR studies will have an impact in a number of areas including materials chemistry and medicinal chemistry, among others.