This award from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities Program will assist faculty in the Department of Chemistry at the University of California in Davis to acquire a 400 MHz broadband Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer with probes, VT unit and computer and will provide several capabilities not currently available. Such capabilities include higher dispersion NMR with high sensitivity inverse detected 2D NMR, gradient enhanced (PFG) 2D proton-carbon 13 NMR spectroscopy, CP MAS solid-state NMR, high signal-to-noise for direct detected NMR of quadrupolar heteronuclei, Ethernet networked off-line processing and data management and a platform for future upgrades and software support. Faculty will exploit these new features (i)for biosynthesis and structure elucidation of natural products, (ii) for heteronuclear NMR studies of novel molecules containing quadrupolar isotopes of less sensitive nuclei, (iii) to support studies involving suspension polymerization and solid-phase organic synthesis, and (iv) to aid in the synthesis and dynamic isomerism of porphyrins.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy is the most powerful tool available to chemists for the elucidation of the structure of molecules. It is used to identify unknown substances, characterize specific arrangement of atoms within molecules, and to study the dynamics of interactions between molecules in solution. Access to state-of-the-art NMR spectrometry is essential to chemists who are carrying out frontier research. The results from these NMR studies are useful in the areas such as polymers, catalysis, and in biology.
