NMR Spectroscopy in the Undergraduate Curriculum

Even the most cursory survey of the chemical literature reveals that modern NMR spectroscopy has indeed fulfilled its potential as a powerful and indispensable tool for probing molecular structure, providing detail that is comparable to, and sometimes surpasses that, of X-ray crystallography. As NMR spectroscopy's 70th anniversary approaches, the diversity of chemical problems to which this technique can be applied continues to grow across many scientific fields. Beyond the laboratory setting, the technology underlying NMR is now a widely used and critical medical diagnostic technique, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Unfortunately, the number of applications of NMR spectroscopy across so many STEM-related fields presents significant challenges in how best to introduce this powerful technique in meaningful ways at the undergraduate level. Inspired by the development of the field, and building upon the work of previous symposia and an ACS symposium series book on this topic (3), a symposium was developed, entitled "NMR Spectroscopy in the Undergraduate Curriculum," for the 239th American Chemical Society National Meeting in San Francisco. This book brings together all of the presenters who have been successful in developing and successfully integrating NMR spectroscopy pedagogy across their undergraduate curriculums. Their knowledge and experiences will aid readers who are interested in expanding and invigorating their own curriculum.