This project focuses on the enhancement of a 300 MHz Fourier-transform nuclear-magnetic resonance (FT-NMR) system with the addition of several new accessories, including an inverse broad-band probe, inverse modification and decoupler upgrade, autosampler, and software and hardware for a supplementary Pentium-based workstation. The new inverse probe and electronics are allowing access to a wide range of enhanced-sensitivity, inversely detected NMR methods and other critical experiments (such as 1H observation with 14N decoupling); enormously increasing effective use of the instrument by permitting more spectra to be run for entire classes (with the autosampler); and both simplify and extend instrument use with the workstation. Major applications will be in microscale organic chemistry laboratory, biochemistry, physical chemistry, and instrumental analysis. With some advanced NMR spectra, requiring several hours, the autosampler is providing a solution to the problem of large classes of students individually acquiring spectra. The workstation is offering simpler processing and foreground/background techniques to increase the ability of students to acquire and manipulate new spectra. Use of basic macros is making full automated use of newer 1-D and 2-D experiments possible. The new probe is providing access to experiments that provide exceptional enhancement of undergraduate studies.
