Elucidation of chemical structure by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy follows a fairly standard protocol consisting of 1H, 13C, and 2D spectra. However, this standard approach may not be the most appropriate one in an undergraduate teaching environment. This is because the teaching environment is different from the one encountered at the professional level in several respects: students generally have more time, more sample, and less tolerance for ambiguity. They may also lack access to a mass spectrometer. Our goal is to propose a modified protocol which includes determination of approximate molecular mass, suppression of spin multiplicities so that 1H interpretation is simplified, and acquisition of a quantitative 13C spectrum. We believe that this procedure will enable students to begin their spectral interpretation with considerably more certainty.

Structure determination using NMR: A pedagogical approach for undergraduates

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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