This proposal outlines a detailed plan to integrate a new 500 MHZ Inova NMR Spectrometer into the Instrumentation Facilities in the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Caltech. The major application of this high field NMR instrument will be for the purpose of structure determination of complex organic and inorganic molecular architectures arising from synthetic, semisynthetic, and biosynthetic sequences and protocols. The research activities of seven major user groups, as well as many minor user groups (not listed) in the Division will greatly benefit from this new spectrometer and in many cases new research directions within existing programs will be enabled by the presence of such critical instrumentation. Over the last 30 years, high field NMR spectrometers have come to represent a fundamental research tool among major university chemistry departments. NMR is a non-destructive characterization method that provides unique, detailed information about the geometry and constitution of inorganic and organic structure in a routine, high-throughput fashion. As a consequence, these instruments have become the analytical workhorse for chemical researchers across a broad variety of fields that rely upon the synthesis of small and large molecular architecture. More specifically, thousands of NMR spectroscopy characterization experiments are performed on a weekly basis within most traditional chemistry departments in academia and industry. In this context, the current instrumentation infrastructure for 500 MHz NMR analysis in the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Caltech is severly limited. At the present time, the department has one Bruker AMX 500 MHz spectrometer that was purchased in 1986. This spectrometer has exceeded its expected lifetime for usage. Limitations arising from poor sensitivity, poor resolution and outdated software has rendered this instruement effectively obsolete and we plan to remove this instrument from our facility in the near future. In addition, to the existing departmental instrumentation, we currently have a 600 MHz Varian Unity Plus instrument; that is used almost exclusively for structural determination associated with complex biological molecules. The requirements of high sensitivity that are required for this system effectively preclude its use as a routine or high throughput departmental instrument. The Institute has made a major committment to oversee the maintenance and implementation of technical expertise to operate this instrument over an extended time frame. The Institute and the Division will provide the necessary funds towards the salary of the NMR facility manager and resources to provide the necessary infrastructure to house this instrument. The new 500 MHz instrument will be housed in contiguous space with the current Division NMR instruments.
