Upgrade of a 500 MHz NMR Spectrometer

Columbia University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

With this award from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities (CRIF) Program, the Department of Chemistry at Columbia University will upgrade a 500 MHz NMR Spectrometer. This equipment will facilitate research in the following areas: a) microscale determinations of structures, stereochemistry or ligand/receptor interactions using nano- to micro-gram amounts of ligands; b) studies of helical conjugated molecules; c) development of a genetic screen for proteins in vivo based on catalytic activity; d) de novo protein design; and e) synthesis of molecules with interesting properties, such as a catalyst that selectively binds and hydrolyzes cocaine in vivo. 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 biochemistry and synthetic chemistry.