I am interested in finding out what sort NMR instrumentation is
used in conjunction with undergraduate (UG) chemistry laboratory programs.
We here at MIT are considering submitting a proposal for a new console
or more, but we want to keep our request in line with what other
schools use for undergraduate teaching.
As you might expect, I am hoping to get a dedicated, relatively new NMR
for the undergraduate NMR laboratory program because the old (>10 years)
FT instruments seem to break down mid-semester, leaving the UGs high and
dry. Some of our UGs here will likely continue to use a T-60 for the
forseeable future. It seems to me to be an ironic twist that the old CW
instruments are standing the test of time far better than the first few
generations of FT instruments that replaced them. Last spring we had a
magnet quench in the middle of the semester and the TAs ended up running
spectra on the research-dedicated instruments. Although the
fingerpointing was vaguely entertaining, the unfortunate net results of
this whole incident was that the UGs from then on got nothing more than a
photocopied spectrum, which seems like a shame considering all the money
they pay for tuition and laboratory fees.
With this in mind, I ask that respondents address the following questions:
(1) how many NMRs are used for the undergraduate chemistry lab program?
(2) approximately how many students make use of NMR in the UG chem lab prog?
(3) are they dedicated to the UG chem lab program?
(3a) if yes to (3), does your school have separate NMRs for research?
(4) what are the NMRs used for the UG chem lab program (make, model, year)?
(4a) if any of your NMRs are more than five years old, do they break down
mid-semester and does this cause problems?
(5) do you have any relevant (and humorous) anecdotes on this subject?
(6) can I distribute your information?
I will post a summary of distributable responses if there is interest.
Thanks,
Jeff
Dr. Jeffrey H. Simpson jsimpson@mit.edu
Instrumentation Facility Director 617/253-1812 office
Department of Chemistry, 18-082 617/253-1806 lab
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 617/253-0873 fax
77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307 USA
"Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm" -Steven Wright