With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program, Adrienne Loh and her colleague Heather Mortell from University of Wisconsin La Crosse will acquire a 400 MHz NMR spectrometer to support chemical research of faculty at La Crosse as well as Luther College (Decorah, IA). Proposed research spans a number of areas in chemistry, including: 1) protein structure and dynamics; 2) design of siderophore models; 3) discovery of new antimicrobials; 4) characterization of agonist binding sites in serotonin receptor proteins; 5) investigation of organometallic molecular switches; 6) development of soy-bean derived bioplastics and 7) the preparation of inorganic solids as oxidation catalysts. The instrumentation will also be used in teaching and training of undergraduate students in coursework at the University, as well as being an integral part of ongoing outreach activities to middle school and high school students in the area.
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 NMR studies will have an impact in synthetic organic/inorganic chemistry and biochemistry.
