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

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a flexible and powerful research tool that allows us to describe the structures of the molecules we study or make.  It provides information on the identity of atoms in molecules, how the atoms are connected to one another, the spatial relationships of atoms within molecules, interactions between molecules, and the relative quantities of different molecules in mixtures.  Our research using NMR spectroscopy spans a huge range of scientific problems:  from conducting polymers to pharmaceuticals. This research generates new and useful knowledge and provides training for young Canadian scientists, most of whom go on to productive careers in industry or academia. Achieving our goals in research and education would be impossible without access to this NMR spectrometer.A modern NMR spectrometer consists of a superconducting magnet attached to electronic equipment that allows small, local changes in the magnetic field to be effected or measured.  The electronic components are controlled by a small network of independent microprocessors, linked to a central computer that coordinates and controls the NMR analysis and allows the user to operate the machine and process the resulting data.  We are requesting funds from NSERC to help replace the electronic components and computer processors of our thirteen year-old 300 MHz NMR spectrometer, which is used in automated mode for rapid and routine proton and carbon NMR analysis of synthetic reagents, intermediates and targets in the research of ten research groups at the University of Victoria.  The current console is obsolete (23 year-old technology), and is increasingly subject to downtime and difficulties in data transfer and archiving.  The likelihood of irreparable breakdown of this instrument is high and increasing rapidly - such an event would severely limit the research of all ten co-applicants. Our request comprises almost all of the spectrometer except the superconducting magnet, which continues to perform exceptionally well.  This replacement will bring our NMR spectroscopic capabilities up to modern standards.