Recent applications of benchtop NMR spectroscopy and relaxometry

NMR spectroscopy is a powerful analytical technique that has been one of the key technologies in chemistry, particular for compound identification, structure elucidation and reaction monitoring, for the past 70 years. While an essential tool of the modern chemist, standard NMR instruments are large, complex, expensive to run and require specialised facilities and staff to use. This limits their accessibility to many researchers, both academic and industrial. Advances in technology over the last decade have led to the development of benchtop NMR instruments. These are smaller, less expensive, and easier to use than traditional instruments. They are capable of Fourier transform NMR and relaxometry measurements and have been used in applications as diverse as the analysis of illegal drugs to exploring interactions in zeolites and other porous materials. Trying to capture all the applications of benchtop NMR would be rather difficult so in this chapter, we will discuss the foundations of benchtop Fourier transform and relaxometry NMR and showcase some of the major applications of these techniques. We show how miniaturisation of NMR has driven, and will continue to drive, innovations and advances in many areas of chemistry and give a detailed overview of the state of the science. Focus is paid to areas that are currently underserved by conventional NMR including food, environmental and material science, catalysis, and the energy industry. Citations to relevant reviews and articles are included for more details on specific applications.