Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

Course manual 2025/2026

Course content

Global content

The course aims at providing students insight in the principles of one- and twodimensional high-resolution NMR spectroscopy with an emphasis on methods, techniques and their applications in synthetic chemistry. A brief rehearsal of basic principles of NMR spectroscopy is followed by methods of obtaining spectra of most NMR-active nuclei by means of standard excitation and detection schemes. Some necessary background of principles will be provided. Most of the standard and several non-standard one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques will be treated.

Subjects

Physical basis, principles, pulsed NMR, chemical shift, spin-spin and dipolar coupling, relaxation, nuclear Overhauser enhancement, multi-puls NMR (spin-echo, J-modulated, polarization transfer, INEPT, DEPT), vector models for selected pulse sequences, common and less common nuclei, two-dimensional NMR (COSY, HETCOR, HSQC, HMQC, HMBC, TOCSY, INADEQUATE), spectrum analyisis, assignment of 1D and 2D spectra, dynamic NMR.

Study materials

Literature

• J.B. Lambert, E.P. Mazzola, C.D. Ridge; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Wiley 2nd ed. 2019; ISBN 978-1-119-29523-5

Other

• Hand-outs.

Objectives

• To obtain insight in the principles of one- and two-dimensional high-resolution NMR techniques and their applications in synthetic chemistry.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Seminar
• Self-study
• Supervision/feedback meeting

Lectures and problem sessions.

Learning activities

Attendance

This programme does not have requirements concerning attendance (TER part B).

Assessment

Assignments

Students will be given exercises to do and discuss during class and assignments for preparation outside class; some of these will be treated in the whole group and in the tutoring hours. Special attention will be given to spectrum interpretation and obtaining structures of molecules from a set of spectra

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Additional information

Recommended prior knowledge: Bachelor level spectroscopy

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. rer. nat. A.W. Ehlers