Simple Parameters and Data Processing for Better Signal-to-Noise and Temporal Resolution in In Situ NMR Reaction Monitoring

Primary NMR data used during development of the FID post processing averaging methodology. Abstract: In situ 1D NMR spectroscopic reaction monitoring allows detailed investigation of chemical kinetics and mechanism. Concentration versus time data are derived from a time-series of NMR spectra. Each spectrum in the series is obtained by Fourier transform of the corresponding FID. When the spectrometer outputs FIDs recorded from multiple scans, the spectra benefit from an increase in signal-to-noise (S/N). However, this reduces the number of FIDs and thus kinetic datapoints. We report a simple alternative in which the same number of scans are acquired by the spectrometer, but each scan is saved independently. Signal averaging is then conducted by post-acquisition processing. This leads to an increase in both the S/N and the number of kinetic datapoints and avoids "over-averaging" effects. The entire series of single scan FIDs spanning the reaction lifetime can be summed to yield a 'total reaction spectrum' in wh