Application of NMR Spectroscopy for the Characterisation of Small Molecules

The technique of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy delivers unique structural information about small molecules; identifying functional groups, molecular backbone and the chemical environment of the nuclei. It is widely used for the simple and rapid measurement of many chemical processes. In this application note, using the X-Pulse broadband NMR spectrometer, Oxford Instruments show how NMR spectroscopy is an extremely powerful analytical technique for the characterisation of small organic molecules. It is possible to assign peaks to particular nuclei in the molecule and observe the effect that the environment of the nuclei can have on the chemical shift of the peaks in the NMR spectrum. This is particularly useful in an example where the molecules have the same molecular formula (isomers). The differences in the NMR spectra that would be observed with totally different chemicals with different chain lengths, functional groups and chemical environments would be even greater, although the same principles would apply. This application note describes how these analyses are performed using NMR, the information obtained from spectra and why this is important.  

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