MRI: Acquisition of a 500 MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectrometer

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This award is supported by the Major Research Instrumentation and the Chemistry Research Instrumentation Programs. Professor Liming Zhang from the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) and colleagues Bruce Lipshutz, Trevor Hayton and Javier Read de Alaniz have acquired a 500 MHz NMR spectrometer equipped with a liquid-nitrogen cooled probe and a probe with multinuclear capabilities. This spectrometer allows research in a variety of fields such as those that accelerate chemical reactions of significant economic importance, as well as those that facilitate studies of biologically relevant species. In general, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is one of the most powerful tools available to chemists to describe the structure of molecules. NMR 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 provides a significant increase in sensitivity relative to standard NMR probes while the multinuclear probe allows study of a wide range of elements above and beyond the common hydrogen and carbon atoms. The NMR studies improve understanding of synthetic organic/inorganic chemistry, materials chemistry and biochemistry. This instrument is an integral part of teaching as well as research. This broadly accessible instrumentation strengthens the regional instrumentation infrastructure and helps advance the scientific careers of about 200 regular undergraduate and graduate researchers, postdocs and visiting scholars in more than 18 research groups. The spectrometer enriches the education and training experience of underrepresented undergraduate students in several NSF-supported science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs and several hundred undergraduate students in chemistry and biochemistry laboratory classes at UCSB and from Santa Barbara Community College. This NMR instrumentation also facilitates research and development (R&D) efforts of several local startup companies specializing in clean energy and food preservation.The award of the NMR spectrometer with a cryoprobe is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels. This acquisition especially benefits the development of a thermochemical model for nanocluster formation and the exploration of actinide electronic structures. The instrumentation also serves researchers studying fluorinated functional polymers and those using boron-11 isotopes in boron-catalyzed peptide bond formation. Finally, the spectrometer benefits the syntheses and characterization of complex bioactive natural products.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.