MRI: Acquisition of a high-field NMR spectrometer

University Of The Pacific, Stockton CA

Investigators

Abstract

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation program (MRI), the Department of Chemistry at the University of the Pacific will acquire a 500 MHz NMR spectrometer. The spectrometer will be utilized in research projects including 1) structural determination of oligosaccharides, 2) conformation determination of molecular nano-switches, and 3) structural and mechanistic studies of nano-scale supramolecular systems. The impact of this award will affect a significant number of minority students as the campus population consists of 60% minority students. 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. The results from these high field NMR studies will result in 1) higher resolution with increased signal dispersion, 2) precise coupling information for computational modeling and 3) more reliable kinetic studies of phase-transitions in low concentration samples.