MRI: Acquisition of a 400 MHz NMR Spectrometer to Support Undergraduate Research and Chemical Education at Towson University

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program, Principal Investigators Clare Muhoro and Lev Ryzhkov and colleagues Timothy Brunker, Barry Margulies, Ana Maria Soto and Shannon Stitzel from Towson University will acquire a 400 MHz NMR spectrometer to support research and teaching at their institution. Their proposed research spans a number of areas in chemistry and biology, including: 1) the investigation of spiropyran-based molecularly imprinted polymer sensors; 2) the study of the binding of aminoglycoside antibiotics to RNA; 3) the synthesis, detection and quantitation of isotope-labeled acyclovair and its metabolites; 4) the study of the degradation of N-methylcarbamate pesticides under aquatic conditions; 5) the study of the lifetime of primary acyloxy radicals using CIDNP spectroscopy ; 6) the synthesis of coordination complex-based chiral molecular switches and 6) the synthesis, characterization and application of phosphanyl(organyl)boranes. The instrumentation will also be used in teaching and training of undergraduate and graduate students (MS) in coursework, as well as research at Towson. The spectrometer will play a critical role in preparing a diverse group of students for Maryland's technical and scientific workforce. 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, as well as in the training of a diverse group of students.