MRI: Acquisition of Bruker EMXplus series EPR Spectrometer

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With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) and support from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation Program (CRIF), Professor Patrick Farmer from Baylor University and colleagues Caleb Martin, Kevin Pinney, Bryan Shaw and John Wood will acquire an electron paramagentic resonance (EPR) spectrometer. This instrument will allow research in a variety of fields such as those that provide insight on how biologically relevant species behave when they possess unpaired electrons. In general, an EPR spectrometer yields detailed information on the geometric and electronic structure of molecular and solid state materials. It may also be used to obtain information about the lifetimes of free radicals, short-lived, highly reactive species involved in valuable chemical transformations as well as the initiation of pathological tumor growth. These studies will impact a number of areas, from the synthesis of inorganic and organic molecules to the development of new solid state materials to compounds of magnetic and biological interest. Employing examples inspired from ongoing research, this instrument will be an integral part of research and teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels at Baylor University as well as Austin College, the University of Texas at Tyler and Texas Lutheran University.The award is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels, especially in areas such as (a) investigating biocoordination chemistry of HNO; (b) studying the mechanism of charge regulation in superoxide dismutase-1 and other metalloproteins; (c) studying the pro-oxidant chemistry of melanins; (d) designing, synthesizing and evaluating bioreductive tumor microenvironment; (e) analyzing radical reactions of trialkylborane water complexes; and (f) studying boron radicals, pyridyl phosphine/phosphine oxide coordination chemistry.