The technique known as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is based on the interaction of the magnetic properties of nuclei with the radio portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.  Our NMR spectrometer is a state of the art piece of instrumention (Bruker Avance 300), capable of observing many different nuclei. This $175,000 instrument was obtained in 1999 with the help of a National Science Foundation grant.  It is also capable of 2-dimensional techniques and is equipped with a z-gradient generator. Many of our investigative experiments require that students unravel the structure of an unknown molecule.   NMR spectroscopy is at the center of most strategies for solving structural problems in all fields of chemistry. 

Vanessa Richter operating the Bruker Avance 300 NMR spectrometer.  She is taking a proton spectrum of  a metallocarborane she synthesized under the Direction of Dr. Franz in our Summer Research Program

Here's a picture of Dr. McDonald behaving strangely in the presence of the magnet (it was late at night and he's pretty enthusiastic about the strength of the magnet).

Return to the main instrument page                    Proceed to the description of the IR spectrometer
 

Last updated October 14, 2004.
The URL for this page is http://www.lycoming.edu/chem/tour/inst2.htm