<h3>Title</h3>
<h3>Sensitizing solid-state NMR using fast magic angle spinning and dynamic nuclear polarization</h3>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Abstract</span> :</strong></p>
<p>NMR is a powerful atomic-level characterization technique but it suffers from an intrinsically poor sensitivity, limiting its application to common spin-1/2 isotopes such as <sup>1</sup>H, <sup>13</sup>C, <sup>15</sup>N, <sup>29</sup>Si, <sup>31</sup>P etc. Whereas, over 75% of the periodic table consists of unreceptive nuclei that are rarely studied using NMR due to the lack of sensitive approaches. Fast magic angle spinning (MAS) enables the observation of the sensitive <sup>1</sup>H spins in solids by narrowing <sup>1</sup>H NMR lineshapes. This allows the use of <sup>1</sup>H spins as ‘spies’ for indirect detection of other nuclei, much like solution NMR spectroscopy. Here, we will demonstrate how <sup>1</sup>H detection methods in solids allow meaningful chemical information to be extracted from low gyromagnetic ratio nuclei, half-integer quadrupolar nuclei and the spin-1 isotope <sup>14</sup>N.</p>
<p>The sensitivity of NMR can alternatively be drastically improved using dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) from nearby electron spins. Gd(III) complexes are attractive exogenous PAs for MAS DNP due to their high chemical stability, but they are infrequently used for DNP due to their limited DNP efficiency. Here, we will establish a model that correlates the DNP enhancements provided by Gd(III) complexes with zero-field splittings. These results will pave the way for the development of efficient Gd(III) polarizing agents.</p>
<p>Finally, the application of these state-of-the-art solid-state NMR techniques to characterize small molecule pharmaceuticals, organometallic compounds and semi-conducting nanomaterials will be demonstrated.</p>