With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, the Department of Chemistry at the University of Delaware will acquire a 400 MHz NMR Spectrometer. The research that this instrument will support includes high-throughput approaches to the asymmetric syntheses of strained molecules; electroactive polymers and oligomers for light-emitting diodes; protein-polymer architectures for applications in materials and biology; molecular complementation of nuclear receptor associated genetic disease; catalysis of the alkyne to cyclopentene conversion; coordination and bioinorganic chemistry with sulfur ligands; and homogeneous chromium catalysts for olefin polymerization.
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. Faculty and students from three regional institutions (Lincoln University, Delaware State University, and Delaware Technical and Community College) will carry out research using this instrument. The results from these NMR studies will have an impact in materials chemistry and biochemistry.
