MRI: acquisition of an NMR console, probe, and autosampler to advance undergraduate research and education

This $250,012 National Science Foundation project grant supports the acquisition of an upgraded 400 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) console, probe, and autosampler by Ithaca College. The NMR instrumentation will advance undergraduate research and education in polymer science, inorganic chemistry, and medicinal chemistry at Ithaca College and nearby institutions. The NMR spectrometer upgrade enhances the educational, research, and teaching efforts of students at all levels in the Ithaca College Chemistry Department. It enables increased diverse representation of undergraduate and high school students through established outreach programs. Key areas of research impacted include discovering polymers of intrinsic microporosity, characterizing chiral lactide polymer catalysts, and synthesizing iridium and rhodium pincer complexes. This award aligns with the National Science Foundation Office of Integrative Activities' mission to enhance U.S. competitiveness through broadening participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics research and education under the Integrative Activities program (CFDA 47.083).

Abstract

This award is jointly supported by the major research instrumentation and the chemistry research instrumentation programs. Ithaca college is acquiring an upgraded console and probe for a 400 MHZ NMR spectrometer to support the research of professor scott ulrich and colleagues michael p. Haaf and anna larsen. This instrument facilitates research in the areas of polymer science, inorganic chemistry, and medicinal chemistry. 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. This instrument enhances the educational, research, and teaching efforts of students at all levels in the chemistry department at ithaca college as well as provides accessibility for use at nearby institutions. This instrument enables increased diverse representation of undergraduate and high school students through established outreach programs. The award of the 400 MHZ NMR spectrometer upgrade is aimed at enhancing undergraduate research and education at all levels, especially in areas such as polymer, organometallic, and medicinal chemistry. The instrument impacts research focused on discovering polymers of intrinsic microporosity, and on the characterization of chiral lactide polymer catalysts. Other investigations include the synthesis of iridium and rhodium pincer complexes and medicinal chemistry targeting bacterial signaling enzymes and cancer cell metabolism. 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.