Invisible Chemistry

Hardware miniaturization

How big and small NMR can be? The size of NMR magnets varies from 15,000 kg to 0.1 kg - from gigantic machines to tiny pocket-size devices. NMR is the only technique that covers such outstanding instrumentation scale. The main target of ongoing rapid development is to reduce the size of NMR analyzers to the size of smartphones. A valuable direction of NMR miniaturization is to develop a device for carrying out the analysis directly inside a chemical flask. Review on fascinating opportunities of NMR miniaturization:

"Miniaturization of NMR Systems: Desktop Spectrometers, Microcoil Spectroscopy, and "NMR on a Chip" for Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Industry", Chem. Rev., 2014, 114, 5641 - 5694. DOI: 10.1021/cr400063g. Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/cr400063g

Liquid, solid and gaseous chemistry

«Progress in organic chemistry, catalysis, asymmetric synthesis, polymer chemistry, material science and many related areas in a large extent was governed by the development of efficient analytical tools. NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry nowadays are the leading methods in the above mentioned areas with unquestionable importance and broad scope of applications. Development of nanoscience, taking place extremely rapidly in the recent years, has appointed electron microscopy as the necessary and complimentary characterization tool. A powerful combination of NMR, mass spectrometry and electron microscopy becomes "a must" in modern chemical applications.» The review dealing with target-oriented map of applications of the leading analytical methods in organic chemistry and catalysis:

"Target-Oriented Analysis of Gaseous, Liquid and Solid Chemical Systems by Mass Spectrometry, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Electron Microscopy", Russ. Chem. Rev., 2013, 82, 648 - 685, DOI: 10.1070/RC2013v082n07ABEH004413. http://dx.doi.org/10.1070/RC2013v082n07ABEH004413

Microscopy studies of catalytic systems:

"Modern electron microscopy in the study of chemical systems at the intersection of organic synthesis and catalysis", Russ. Chem. Rev., 2016, 85, 1198-1214, DOI: 10.1070/RCR4681. Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1070/RCR4681

Right sample – meaningful data

The table shows sample amounts and concentrations required to carry out X-Ray, NMR and MS studies of organic and organoelement compounds in regular laboratory applications. The topic concerning spectral studies of organic compounds:

"Mechanistic Insight Into Organic and Catalytic Reactions by Joint Studies Using Mass Spectrometry and NMR Spectroscopy", Mendeleev Commun., 2010, 20, 125-131, DOI: 10.1016/j.mencom.2010.05.001. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mencom.2010.05.001

The key role of sample preparation in spectral studies:

"How Sensitive and Accurate are Routine NMR and MS Measurements?", Mendeleev Commun., 2015, 25, 454 - 456, DOI: 10.1016/j.mencom.2015.11.019. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mencom.2015.11.019