Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy continues to be the central technique used to characterize new molecules and materials prepared by chemists. This proposal seeks support for an NMR spectrometer capable of conducting experiments with a wide range of nuclei. While the most common nuclei studied by synthetic chemists are hydrogen (protons) and carbon, so-called "multinuclear NMR" can be performed on the nuclei of many other atoms, such as phosphorus, lithium, nitrogen, silicon, boron as well as certain metal nuclei. Our department currently does not have the capability to run these experiments, which are extremely important for the full characterization and study of compounds that contain these atoms. For example, some of the research involves the synthesis of new organic molecules and metal complexes that contain phosphorus or lithium. These compounds are then used for the catalysis of organic reactions. Since these elements are often the centres of reactivity of the new complexes, the direct study of these nuclei is vital towards understanding the new chemistry being performed. This instrument will become part of the Department of Chemistry's Centre for Chemical Analysis, Research and Training (C-CART), which is part of Memorial's campus-wide Core Research Equipment and Instrument Training (CREAIT) network. Through these networks, the equipment will be accessible to users throughout the University. Students and research personnel will have hands-on use of this valuable research tool on a daily basis and around the clock.