MRI: Acquisition of a Cryogenic Probe and Modern Console for Outstanding NMR Sensitivity to Benefit Research and Education at Cornell University

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With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) and support from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation Program (CRIF), Professor Yimon Aye from Cornell University and colleagues Linda Nicholson and William Dichtel will upgrade the console of a 500 MHz NMR spectrometer and acquire a cryoprobe and autosampler for this spectrometer. This spectrometer will allow research in a variety of fields such as those that accelerate chemical reactions of significant economic importance, as well as allow study of biologically relevant species. In general, 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 or in the solid state. Access to state-of-the-art NMR spectrometers is essential to chemists who are carrying out frontier research. The cryogenic probe will provide a significant increase in sensitivity relative to standard NMR probes. The results from these NMR studies will have an impact in synthetic organic/inorganic chemistry, materials chemistry and biochemistry. This instrument will be an integral part of teaching as well as research performed by undergraduate and graduate students and future female and minority faculty at Cornell University. It will also be used in the introductory chemistry courses by incoming students with poor chemistry backgrounds through an intensive summer bridge course with a long-term goal of retaining them in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors. The instrument will be featured in educational outreach programs to K-12 students and teachers in central New York, and its superior sample throughput enabled by the automatic sample changer will allow multinuclear NMR experiments to be incorporated into undergraduate laboratory curriculum for the first time.The award is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels, especially in areas such as (a) modulating macromolecular self-assembly and enzymatic activity with small molecules; (b) probing chemical signaling mechanisms that regulate life span; (c) tracking the fate of small-molecule phosphorylated compounds that alter proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor protein; (d) studying allosteric modulation of glutamate receptors through small molecule-induced dimerization; (e) using bottom-up synthesis of graphene nanoribbons and other nanostructured carbon materials; (f) developing polymerization catalysts to prepare polymers with improved properties; (g) characterizing the structure and selectivity of lithium-based Evans enolates; (h) characterizing aggregation behavior of sodium amides and enolates; (i) synthesizing surugatoxins and other complex natural products; and (j) characterizing the structure and reactivity of multimetallic coordination compounds.