Interested in NMR?  I am currently looking for students interested in working on their M.Sc. or Ph.D. in Chemistry in the area of Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance starting in May 2010 or later.  Graduate students with interest in physical, computational, inorganic and/or analytical chemistry are encouraged to apply.  If interested, please contact me via email, and applications can be made via our Graduate Studies webpage.  I am currently seeking applications from potential post-doctoral fellows with a strong background in solid-state NMR.  Please email your full CV to rschurko@uwindsor.ca.

• November 2009

  A couple of new long-awaited publications are online.  First, Andre Sutrisno's major work on ⁷⁷Se NMR of Se-N heterocycles was recently published in a special tribute issue of Can. J. Chem. for Prof. Tom Ziegler (Can. J. Chem. 87, 1546–1564  DOI: 10.1139/V09-100).  Andre is currently working on his Ph.D. at Western with Yining Huang.  Second, Bryan Lucier's work on ultra-wideline ¹⁹⁵Pt NMR of Pt complexes with hexadentate amino- and iminophosphine ligands has recently come online (Dalton Trans. 2009, 7701  DOI: 10.1039/b907737e).  This project was done in collaboration with Frederic Fontaine (Laval).

  Michčle Auger from Universite Laval visited us on Nov. 20, and presented a lecture describing some of her NMR work on spider silk and antimicrobial agents.

  Kris Harris and I went to the 42nd Inorganic Discussion Weekend in Guelph, Ontario at the end of November, where Kris presented a poster entitled, " Solid-State NMR of Inorganic Systems: Molecules, Networks and Nanoparticles studied via ¹⁹F, ⁴⁵Sc, ³⁵Cl, ⁶⁵Cu, ⁸⁹Y, ⁹¹Zr, ¹⁰⁹Ag, ¹¹⁵In, ¹¹⁹Sn, ¹⁹⁵Pt, ¹⁹⁹Hg, ²⁰⁷Pb, and ²⁰⁹Bi NMR spectroscopy."  This poster described a number of projects from our last five years of work on ultra-wideline NMR of quadrupolar and spin-1/2 nuclei in a variety of systems, including organometallics, inorganic materials and nanoparticles.

• October 2009

  Luke O'Dell has left the group to take up a post at the National Research Council in Ottawa...we will miss Luke and Marie very much, and wish him the best in his new position.  Kris Harris has joined our group as our new post-doctoral fellow, after recently completing his Ph.D. at the University of Alberta with Rod Wasylishen.  We also welcome Tatjana Milovic to our group as a new undergraduate researcher.  I also gave a seminar at McGill University in Montreal, and Bryan Lucier and I headed up to the annual MOOT NMR symposium in Ottawa...which was a lot of fun.

• September 2009: Fall term begins....

  Len Mueller from the University of California at Riverside is visiting us on Sept. 18, 2009, and presenting a lecture entitled "Solid-State NMR as a Probe of Molecular and Biological Structure."

  Classes begin on Sept. 9, 2009, and I am teaching two courses this term:

  • 59-240 Intro Physical Chemistry
  • 59-410 Research Project

  I am also looking for third- and fourth-year students (from Windsor and abroad) interested in summer research or graduate studies.  Please contact me if you are interested!  Our group welcomes two undergraduate researchers, Alex Reidel and Chris Mireault, who are both in their third year in the Chemistry & Physics B.Sc.
  
  In other news, Luke O'Dell's latest work on ¹⁴N SSNMR of crystalline amino acids is now online, in a special edition of PCCP: Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2009, 11, 7069 - 7077, DOI: 10.1039/b906114b.

• August 2009: RMC and post-doc advertisement

  We just returned from the Solid-State NMR symposium in the Rocky Mountain Conference on Analytical Chemistry in Snowmass, Colorado.  Our group presented one talk (Luke O'Dell) and four posters (Aaron Rossini, Hiyam Hamaed and Luke O'Dell).  Click here to see some pictures of our hike to see the Maroon Bells in the White River National Forest.

  Post-doctoral position open: A two-year post-doctoral position funded by NSERC and the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation is available my laboratory starting as early as October 1, 2009.   Research projects focus on development and application of pulse sequences for the acquisition of high S/N NMR spectra of quadrupolar nuclei and heavy spin-1/2 nuclei in a variety of systems, including inorganic and organometallic complexes, organic pharmaceuticals, nanoparticles and composite materials. The applicant should have a Ph.D. in Chemistry or Physics with expertise in solid-state NMR. A complete CV, including a summary of research experience and contact information for three references, can be emailed directly to Rob Schurko (rschurko@uwindsor.ca).  This position is filled as of Oct. 1, 2009.

• July 2009: Rob visits the Weizmann Institute

  I recently returned from a visit to the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel, where I was spending some time in the laboratory of Lucio Frydman.  Some interesting research projects were initiated, and I also had an opportunity to give two seminars, one at Weizmann, and one at the Technion (Israel Institute of Technology) where I was visiting Asher Schmidt.

• June 2009: ²⁰⁹Bi solid-state NMR

  Hiyam Hamaed's recent work on the first ultra-wideline ²⁰⁹Bi solid-state NMR spectra has just been published: Application of Solid-State ²⁰⁹Bi NMR to the Structural Characterization of Bismuth-Containing Materials.  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131, 8271–8279 DOI: 10.1021/ja901347k.   Together with Mike Laschuk (an undergraduate researcher in our laboratory), and Victor Terskikh of the National Ultra-High Field NMR facility in Ottawa, Hiyam has acquired some beautiful ²⁰⁹Bi SSNMR spectra of several systems; the 21.1 T NMR spectrometer was particularly important in this regard.

• May 2009: A new ¹⁴N solid-state NMR technique

  Luke O'Dell has been investigating a new method of acquiring ¹⁴N NMR spectra in the solid state using the WURST QCPMG pulse sequence, and our preliminary communication is now available online:  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 6658–6659, DOI: 10.1021/ja901278q.  Of particular interest is the signal enhancement available for integer-spin quadrupolar nuclei, which we have dubbed "DEISM" (Direct Enhancement of Integer Spin Magnetization).

• April 2009: 50th ENC and Buffalo

  I presented a lecture at the 50th Experimental NMR Conference in Pacific Grove, CA, entitled: QCPMG Using WURST Pulses for Faster Ultra-Wideline Solid-State NMR Spectra of Quadrupolar Nuclei.  I had to leave the conference early to travel up to Buffalo to give a department seminar at SUNY Buffalo (hosted by Jochen Autschbach).  Some pictures from the ENC can be seen by clicking here.

• March 2009: A discussion of chemical shielding tensors; ¹⁹⁵Pt ultra-wideline NMR

  Cory Widdifield's tutorial article on understanding chemical shielding tensors is out in Conc. Magn. Reson., 2009, 34A, 91-123 DOI: 10.1002/cmr.a.20136.  We utilized the ADF software package to examine origins of chemical shielding, and the relationships of NMR chemical shifts with molecular structure and symmetry.  Joel Tang's magnum opus on ¹⁹⁵Pt NMR of Pt(0) and Pt(II) bisdithiolenes, as well as ¹³C and ¹⁹F NMR of the paramagnetic Pt(I) species, is now available online: J. Phys. Chem. B. 2009, 113, 3298–3313.  DOI: 10.1021/jp807530d

• February 2009: ³⁵Cl NMR of metallocenes

  Aaron Rossini's work on ³⁵Cl SSNMR of metallocenes (including titanocenes, zirconocenes and hafnocenes) is now online as an ASAP article.   J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 3317–3330. DOI: 10.1021/ja808390a.  Aaron has acquired ³⁵Cl SSNMR spectra for a variety of halogenated metallocenes, and correlated the ³⁵Cl quadrupolar coupling constants to their molecular structures.  This methodology has allowed for the confirmation of the structure of Schwartz's reagent.

• More Ultra-wideline NMR with Microcoils and WURST QCPMG

  Luke O'Dell and Joel Tang have published a couple of papers in Chem. Phys. Lett. outlining the use of microcoils and the WURST QCPMG pulse sequence for the acquisition of ultra-wideline NMR spectra in the solid state.  Check out Chem. Phys. Lett. 2008, 466, 227–234 for our work on microcoils and Chem. Phys. Lett. 2009, 468, 330-335 for the piecewise QCPMG paper, featuring some ³⁵Cl, ⁶⁵Cu, ⁵⁹Co and ¹⁰B NMR spectra!

• Silver and nitrogen NMR of supramolecular frameworks & coordination solids - Nov. 2008

  Hiyam Hamaed's latest work on ¹⁰⁹Ag and ¹⁵NMR of supramolecular solids, a collaboration with George Shimizu at University of Calgary, is now online:  Investigation of Silver-Containing Layered Materials and Their Interactions with Primary Amines using Solid-State ¹⁰⁹Ag and ¹⁵N NMR Spectroscopy and First Principles Calculations.  Inorg. Chem. 2008, 47, 11245–11256.

• Congratulations Joel!

  Joel Tang defended his Ph.D. thesis, ""Ultra-Wideline Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy and its Application in Characterizing Inorganic and Organometallic Complexes" back in September, and was in Windsor for convocation this October.  He is currently working with Alexej Jerschow at NYU.

• WURST QCPMG pulses - October 2008

  Since Luke O'Dell joined the group in Feb. 2008, he has been working with pulses sequences designed for acquisition of ultra-wideline NMR spectra.  Our first piece of this story is now online: QCPMG Using Adiabatic Pulses for Faster Acquisition of Ultra-Wideline NMR Spectra.  Chem. Phys. Lett. 2008, 464, 97-102.

• MOOT 21 NMR Symposium - October 4-5, 2008

  The 21st annual MOOT NMR Mini-Symposium was be hosted at Canterbury College on Oct 4 and 5, 2008.  While the meeting is traditionally a regional Ontario/Quebec meeting of NMR spectroscopists, this MOOT welcomed participants from across the mid-west United States and beyond.  The MOOT was a great success, with a diverse program, excellent tutorial lectures and a really fun banquet at the Art Gallery of Windsor.   For more information, click here.

• MOOT Seminar Series

  To celebrate the long tradition of magnetic resonance techniques at the University of Windsor, and to highlight the forthcoming he 21st annual MOOT NMR Mini-Symposium, a series of seminars take place leading up to the meeting, featuring:

  • Sept. 5, 2008 - Joel Tang, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Windsor.  Title: "Ultra-Wideline Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy and its Application in Characterizing Inorganic and Organometallic Complexes"

  • Sept. 12, 2008 - Paul Ellis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richmond, WA. Title: "Investigating the Metal Binding Sites in Zinc and Magnesium Metalloproteins Utilizing Low Temperature Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy. "

  • Sept. 26, 2008 - Michele Auger, Department de Chimie, Universite Laval. Title: "Title: Deciphering the secrets of novel antimicrobial agents and spider silk: A solid-state NMR investigation"

  • October 3, 2008 - Paul Hazendonk, Department of Chemistry, University of Lethbridge. Title: TBA

• ³⁵Cl NMR of HCl pharmaceuticals - August 2008

  Hiyam Hamaed's work on pharmaceutical polymorphism has recently been published in J. Am. Chem. Soc.: H. Hamaed, J.M. Pawlowski, B.F.T. Cooper, R. Fu, S.H. Eichhorn and R.W. Schurko.  Application of Solid-State ³⁵Cl NMR to the Structural Characterization of Hydrochloride Pharmaceuticals and their Polymorphs.  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 11056-11065.

• Job Opening: NMR Facility Coordinator - deadline: May 22, 2008 (position closed)

  We have a job opening for an NMR facility coordinator in our department.  For more information, please  click here.  If you wish to have any additional information, feel free to contact me directly, or email our Department Head, Phillip Dutton at dutton@uwindsor.ca

• Joel in France - March 2008

  Joel Tang just returned from a two month visit to the laboratory of Dimitris Sakellariou at the CEA in Paris (Saclay), France.

• Welcome to Luke O'Dell - February 2008

  Luke O'Dell joins our group as a post-doctoral fellow. Luke received his Ph.D. at the University of Warwick in 2007, and worked in the research group of M.E. Smith.  Welcome Luke!

• Recent happenings - January 2008

  Cory Widdifield's paper on sodium metallocenes was published in a Special Issue of Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry: Investigation of Structure and Dynamics in the Sodium Metallocenes CpNa and CpNa·THF via Solid-State NMR, X-ray Diffraction and Computational Modelling. Magn. Reson. Chem. 45, S116–S128.  Cory is now in Dave Bryce's group at the University of Ottawa.  Joel Tang is currently spending some time in France, working in the laboratory of Dimitris Sakellariou at French Atomic Energy Commission (Saclay).

• New papers on ultra-wideline copper and lead NMR (October/November 2007):

  Joel Tang has a new paper (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 13049-13065) featuring the broadest copper NMR spectra ever acquired, "Solid-State ⁶³Cu and ⁶⁵Cu NMR Spectroscopy of Inorganic and Organometallic Copper(I) Complexes," and Aaron Rossini's collaborative project on ultra-wideline ²⁰⁷Pb NMR with Glen Briand of Mount Alison University, "Probing Lead(II) Bonding Environments in 4-Substituted Pyridine Adducts of (2,6-Me2C6H3S)2Pb: An X-ray Structural and Solid-State ²⁰⁷Pb NMR Study,"  is now out in Inorg. Chem. 2007, 46, 8625-8637.

• Congratulations to Andy Lo! (May 2007)

  On May 15, 2007, Andy Lo successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis entitled, "Characterization of Inorganic Mesoporous Materials, Nanoparticles and Organometallic Complexes by Multinuclear Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy."  Andy will be leaving this summer to start his post-doctoral work with Prof. Mattias Eden at the University of Stockholm.

• Multinuclear NMR of Nanoparticles (April 2007)

  Check out Andy Lo's new work featuring ¹³⁹La, ⁴⁵Sc, ¹⁹F, ¹³C and ¹H NMR of LaF₃ nanoparticles: Lo, A. Y. H.; Sudarsan, V.; Sivakumar, S.; van Veggel, F.; Schurko, R. W. Multinuclear Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy of Doped Lanthanum Fluoride Nanoparticles, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 4687-4700.  DOI: 10.1021/ja068604b

• Solid-State NMR of Inorganic Materials at the CSC (May 26-30, 2007)

  Come join us at the 90th Canadian Society for Chemistry Conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, where Scott Kroeker (UManitoba) and I are organizing a symposium on Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy in Inorganic Materials.  We have an outstanding list of speakers and are currently accepting abstract submissions for talks and posters.  Click here for more information!

• Who's who in solid-state NMR (March 2007)

  We are attempting to get a list of solid-state NMR research groups and their web sites from all over the world.  Click here to see our lists, and please email me if you have any additions or corrections.  New updates of this list are available at the Rocky Mountain Conference Solid-State NMR website

• New office/lab renovations are complete (December 2006)

  The renovations of our new office space are complete.  Check out a photo gallery of the demolitions, renovations and final new office space - updated January 2007!

• New publications on NMR of quadrupolar nuclei (October 2006)

  Check out our newly published papers on ⁴⁵Sc NMR of inorganic coordination complexes (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 10391-10402) and wideline ¹³⁹La NMR of metallocenes (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 12638-12639).  For more information on our research, click here!