MRI: Acquisition of a CryoProbe-Enabled NMR Spectrometer for Enhanced Efficiency and Sensitivity in Chemical and Biological Research

该奖项由主要研究仪器项目和化学研究仪器项目共同支持。波士顿学院正在购买一台配备液氮冷却探头的500 MHz核磁共振(核磁共振)光谱仪，以支持Thusitha Jayasundera教授及其同事James Morken、Janmin Gao、Jeffery Byers和Jia Niu的研究。这种光谱仪允许在各种领域进行研究，例如那些加速具有重大经济意义的化学反应的领域，以及允许研究化学和生物相关的物种。总的来说，核磁共振波谱是化学家用来阐明分子结构的最强大的工具之一。它被用来识别未知物质，表征分子中原子的特定排列，并研究分子在溶液或固体中相互作用的动力学。该探头使用氮气冷却的射频线圈，在室温下提供了更大的灵敏度增强。对于正在进行前沿研究的化学家来说，获得最先进的核磁共振光谱仪是必不可少的。该仪器是该机构化学和生物化学的本科生和研究生以及来自邻近学院(主要是本科机构)的合作者的教学、研究和研究培训的组成部分。此外，该仪器是涉及NSF资助的波士顿大学本科生研究体验(REU)计划和纸到塑料(P2P)暑期计划的活动的一部分，以及其他外联倡议，如女性科技(WST)计划。这些项目主要由女性、第一代学生和/或在STEM学科中代表性不足的少数族裔组成。授予核磁共振光谱仪的目的是加强各级的研究和教育。它尤其影响非贵金属催化剂的开发和合成分子的表征，以询问无法在药物上靶向的生物分子，通常被称为“不可用药”。该仪器还用于开发在有机化学中应用的新的合成方法，并用于鉴定用定制的结构和序列制备的大分子。此外，它还允许对用于冶金催化的物种进行表征，并用于了解微生物群落中的分子相互作用。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is jointly supported by the Major Research Instrumentation and the Chemistry Research Instrumentation programs. Boston College is acquiring a 500 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer equipped with liquid nitrogen cooled probe to support the research of Professor Thusitha Jayasundera and colleagues James Morken, Jianmin Gao, Jeffery Byers and Jia Niu. This spectrometer allows research in a variety of fields such as those that accelerate chemical reactions of significant economic importance, as well as permitting study of chemically and 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. The probe uses nitrogen-cooled radiofrequency coils that deliver a much greater sensitivity enhancement over room temperature. Access to state-of-the-art NMR spectrometers is essential to chemists who are carrying out frontier research. This instrument is an integral part of teaching as well as research and research training of undergraduate and graduate students in chemistry and biochemistry at this institution as well as collaborators from neighboring colleges including primarily undergraduate institutions. In addition, the instrument is part of activities involving the NSF funded Boston College Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program and the Paper to Plastics (P2P) summer program, as well as other outreach initiatives, such as the Women in Science and Technology (WST) program. These programs are largely composed of women, first generation students, and/or minorities that are under-represented in STEM disciplines.The award of the NMR spectrometer is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels. It especially impacts the development of non-noble metal-based catalysts and the characterization of synthesized molecules to interrogate biomolecules that cannot be targeted pharmacologically, commonly referred as "undruggable". The instrumentation is also used for developing new synthetic methods for applications in organic chemistry and for identifying macromolecules prepared with tailor-made structures and sequences. In addition, it allows the characterization of species used in metalloradical catalysis and for understanding molecular interactions in microbiome communities.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.