Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy at Chemistry Department of LU

Lucknow University's Chemistry Department has introduced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy recently and now Head of the Chemistry Department, Lucknow University, Sudha Jain feels that the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy was a milestone.

She said that it was the first time that any university in the state was having such an equipment. She added that it was one of the most essential tools in Chemistry and related fields and would boost research in the department. “It is commonly used for determining the purity of molecular structures and their confirmation. It can also be extended as a tool to study the mechanism of chemical reactions and the rate at which they occur. Access to NMR spectrometers is vital for the research and development in organic synthesis, solar energy conversion, electronic materials, protein chemistry and catalysts for fuel and chemical production,” she said. She added that the NMR facility would be utilised by students in the Chemistry and other departments.

“The NMR spectrometer will allow students, especially working in the field of Inorganic, Organometallic Chemistry to collect sensitive heteronuclear measurements. The new equipment will enable experiments which were previously too difficult or impossible,” she disclosed. She said that as far as their department was concerned, 20 research groups having approximately 75 PhD students and researchers were regular users of the NMR facility. Outside the department of Chemistry, other students in Biochemistry also used the NMR facility, she said, adding that the equipment had significantly increased the research capabilities of the department of Chemistry.

The Department of Chemistry at Lucknow University also recently installed other sophisticated instruments like FTIR spectrometer, UV-visible spectrophotometer and fluorescence spectrometer. The instruments were installed with the financial support from the DST-PURSE, the University of Lucknow and the Centre of Excellence, Government of UP.

Source: Rahul Pandey, City Journalist - Lucknow, CollegeDekho