400 MHz AVIII QNP Spectrometer - 'Cragganmore' - Room B28
The NMR Service runs in room B28 using two spectrometers at 400 and 500 MHz, the 400MHz being equipped with a room temperature QNP probe capable of variable temperature operation. The 400 MHz QNP probe is able to run 1H, 13C, 19F and 31P spectra with manual tuning via the rods under the probe. The probe is rather old but is still employed to run a lot of longer 19F and 31P studies including two dimensional work over the long evenings and weekends. We also use this instrument to check our washed NMR tubes for cleanliness and for many of our external department and commercial customers. The spectrometer operates using IconNMR software and has a sample changer. It can run automatically with the NMR Service staff adding samples to the queue or run manually as required. The instrument can run all the usual experiments, 2D spectra including COSY, HSQC, HMBC and NOESY, as well as multinuclear experiment variants of these.
The picture below shows the operators position for the instrument. It uses three screens and two PC's to deal with Topspin's main window, separate windows for the IconNMR automation and lock display, and the access database which holds all the information on every sample run by the NMR Service.
The new SampleXpress sample changer (above) was installed 2018 to replace the failed old style BACS 120 which can be seen in the first photograph above. It is much more efficient and user friendly as well as providing a safer environment for valuable samples. It has improved our throughput as we are now able to run multiple samples overnight and at weekends. One advantage over the old style BACS changers is the ability to run NMR tubes which are slightly lower than the recommended height (often through chipping over time). Please see us in B28 for more details.