Acquisition of a 400 MHz NMR Spectrometer

Marquette University, Milwaukee WI

Investigators

Abstract

With support from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, the Department of Chemistry at Marquette University will acquire a 400 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) Spectrometer. The instrument will be used for a) routine characterization of organic/inorganic/organometallic starting materials, intermediates, and reaction products by multinuclear NMR; stereochemical assignments on the basis of H-H, C-H, and C-P couplings as well as 2D experiments; determination of enantiomeric excess using chiral lanthanide shift reagents and/or by chiral Mosher's esters analysis; b) determination of dynamic behavior and of reaction kinetics on the basis of variable temperature experiments; c) obtaining kinetic and thermodynamic information on receptor/analyte binding equilibria; d) calculation of protein-ligand distances using T1 relaxation measurements; and e) determination of correlation times of proteins. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is one of the most powerful tools 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. This equipment will enhance research in a number of cutting-edge fields within chemistry, ranging from synthesis/catalysis, to spectroscopy/photochemistry, to supramolecular/nanostructured materials chemistry, to chemical biology/medicinal chemistry.