NMR Chromatography: Molecular Diffusion in the Presence of Pulsed Field Gradients in Analytical Chemistry Applications

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is an excellent analytical tool for precise structural characterization of organic and bio-molecules. Though NMR is often used to characterize a single compound in solution, emerging experimental methods using pulsed-field-gradients (PFGs) allow structural dynamic characterization of several compounds, simultaneously in the same solution. NMR as a chromatography tool is often an overlooked application by analytical chemists. Therefore, in this article we introduce the concept of NMR based diffusion measurements, basic operational methods and novel applications. We expect this article to increase the overall use and appreciation of NMR-based diffusion measurements in general and in particular, in analytical chemistry applications.