NMR Submission Service

NMR Submission Service

We run a submission service where researchers, both inside and outside the Chemistry department, as well as external customers, may submit samples for the NMR staff to run on the basement instruments.
In our quest towards a more sustainable lab we have designed new NMR service labels which can be found here.

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To submit a sample for service analysis, please:
 
  1. Visit the sample submission webpage (note departmental login is required). Here you will see a list of your sample submissions and their status. To generate a new submission, click the 'fill in this online form' option
  2. Complete all sections within the form. At the bottom of the form, upload a picture (PNG, not a ChemDraw file) of your expected sample chemical structure. If your structure is unknown, upload your reaction scheme. Note that drag and drop to this area works. Please provide any extra details here if necessary, such as unusual chemical shifts, why a certain specialised experiment is requested for example.
  3. Once complete, click 'Submit Sample Request'. If a section has not been completed, a pop-up box appears detailing which section is to be completed. Once done, re-click 'Submit Sample Request'.
  4. The webpage will then display your submission number, a brief summary of your submission, and a section to upload a PDF copy of the 1D 1H spectrum of the same sample you are submitting. Locate the location of the PDF in your directory and select 'Add Spectra'. Ensure that the submitted PDF is legible and the full range and signal intensity can be observed. Multiple PDFs can be uploaded here if required.
  5. Bring the sample down and place it either on the sponge rack or inside the small fridge as per the location indicated on the submission form. Both of these can be accessed via the hatch to the side of the NMR lab entrance. If your sample is unstable or requires special attention, choose "Request" as the location and do not bring down the sample. Contact the NMR staff to organise when to drop off the sample.

After a sample has been submitted, you will find the following:

 

  1. Your submission and sample will be checked and the analysis scheduled. If there are issues with the submission, you may be contacted by the facility staff to correct this but this is dependent on the current workload.
  2. One complete, the status on the submission webpage is updated to a green colour, with details of which spectrometer was used to run your sample. If the sample turns red, the sample has been rejected/aborted. Click into the submission to determine why this is the case.

At this point you can obtain the data from the NMR data server. This data is organised by instrument and then by your research group initials. Each individual dataset is then named according to the following:

  • Your initials;
  • The five-digit submission number;
  • The date (DDMM) on which the experiment was queued on the spectrometer. (Note that this may differ slightly from the date on which the experiment was run, e.g. if the experiment was submitted on Friday it may have run over the weekend.)
 
The sample will be placed in the returns rack (organic) or completed sample tub (inorganic).

To submit a sample for service analysis, please:
 
  1. Discuss your NMR requirements with Dr Nick Rees prior to submission. Via email, detail what nuclei and experiments you wish to be run, sample description/form (powder, crystalline, amphorous for example), sample quantity, sample description and safety requirements (light/air sensitive). If this is a repeated discussion, there is no need to discuss prior to submission.
  2. Once discussed and approved for solid-state analysis, visit the sample submission webpage and fill in the form. This form will assign you a submission number — note this down.
  3. Download and complete the NMR submission form [Word ], using the submission number assigned previously. Please feel free to provide any extra details here if necessary.
  4. Place the completed form in the "NMR Submissions - Solid-State" folder in the NMR data server; this can be accessed at \\chem.ox.ac.uk\SRF\NMR\NMR Submissions\Solid State (please see here for instructions on how to access this folder if needed). Forms should be named in the following manner:
    <submission number>_<name>_<supervisor initials>.
  5. Bring the sample down and place it in the incoming solid-state sample area, which can be accessed via the hatch to the side of the NMR lab entrance.
  6. If your sample is unstable or requires special attention, sample drop-off will be arranged with Nick Rees. 

After a sample has been submitted, you will find the following:

 

  1. Your submission form has been removed from the NMR Submissions folder. This is normal and indicates that it has been processed by a member of the NMR staff.
  2. The completion status on the submission webpage is updated to "Yes", and the spectrometer(s) used to run the sample indicated next to it.

At this point you can obtain the data from the NMR data server. This data is organised by instrument and then by your research group initials. Each individual dataset is then named according to the following:

 

  • Your initials;
  • The five-digit submission number;
  • The date (DDMM) on which the experiment was queued on the spectrometer. (Note that this may differ slightly from the date on which the experiment was run, e.g. if the experiment was submitted on Friday it may have run over the weekend.)
 
The sample will be placed in the completed sample tub.

To submit a sample for service analysis, first please email the NMR Facility staff (nmrstaff@maillist.chem.ox.ac.uk) detailing the analysis you wish to be run. Secondly, please:
 
  1. Visit the sample submission webpage and fill in the form. This form will assign you a submission number — note this down.
  2. Download and complete the NMR submission form [Word ], using the submission number assigned previously. Please feel free to provide any extra details here if necessary, such as unusual chemical shifts.
  3. Send the form as a word document to the nmr staff list. Forms should be named in the following manner:
    <submission number>_<name>_<supervisor initials>.
    Note that paper forms will not be accepted!
  4. If you have access to the CRL, bring the sample down to the NMR lab in the basement of the CRL and hand to to one of the NMR staff.  If you do not have access, you will need to arrange a time with a member of the NMR staff to meet you at the CRL reception.

When your requested experiments have been run we will email you the data in a zip file and arrange with you to collect your sample from the CRL.

We also offer NMR services to external customers. For more information, please contact Dr Harry Mackenzie (harry.mackenzie@chem.ox.ac.uk) for solution-state enquiries or Dr Nicholas Rees (nick.rees@chem.ox.ac.uk) for solid-state.