Integration of NMR spectroscopy into Undergraduate Instrumental Analysis Course

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy is an important analytical technique in chemistry that is not often covered in the undergraduate Instrumental Analysis course due to the limited availability and accessibility of high-field NMR instruments. High-performance benchtop NMR spectrometers, being affordable and easy-to-use, offer students hands-on opportunities to explore and utilize the technology for chemical analyses, both qualitatively and quantitatively. This presentation will discuss how benchtop NMR can be integrated into the Instrumental Analysis course to illustrate its use in a wide range of lab experiments including structure verification/elucidation, determination of reaction kinetics or partition coefficient of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), and quantitative analysis of over-the-counter pain medicines. Overall, benchtop NMR systems present hands-on opportunities for undergraduate students to develop knowledge and experience using advanced spectroscopic techniques.