Bruker AVANCE NEO - 1 Introduction; Sources of Hazards; Software Version and Command Syntax

Introduction
H171804E_14_001 5 / 86
1 Introduction
The goal of this manual is to describe the basic components of a Bruker spectrometer, their
functionality, and how they are addressed by the TopSpin software to acquire NMR data.
This should enable a relatively inexperienced user to carry out a series of basic 1-D High
Resolution (HR) NMR experiments. Menthyl Antranilate was selected as an example. Both
proton observe and carbon observe with proton decoupling will be described. To assist the
user, standard parameter sets delivered with every TopSpin software package will be used.
This minimizes the time spent on the actual spectrometer itself, particularly in the case where
relatively large numbers of undergraduate students are being trained. In this scenario
processing can be easily carried out on a separate PC using the tutorials delivered with the
spectrometer documentation.
For the purpose of instruction within this manual it is assumed that the user has:
• A basic knowledge of the TopSpin software package.
• A probe or probes capable of observing proton and observing carbon while decoupling
protons.
• A basic knowledge of how to use the flow tabs and buttons within the TopSpin window.
While every effort has been made to genuinely provide a step by step description, new users
will invariably have some questions, and as such will require occasional assistance from a
more experienced user. The goal of this manual is, where practicable, to enable users to
work independently and acquire a basic understanding of how to operate the system. It is
hoped that the time taken to train new users will be significantly reduced through the use of
this manual.
1.1 Sources of Hazards
The safety chapter will deal with safety in more detail, but for now it is worth highlighting
potential hazards that arise when operating an NMR spectrometer at this introductory stage.
For such a sophisticated system there are surprisingly few opportunities for inexperienced
users to damage the equipment, so only the most important ones are worth noting. With
normal operation the most likely causes of damage are:
• Removing a sample from the magnet with the bore still plugged.
• Inserting a sample into the magnet without the presence of the supporting air cushion.
• Transmitting RF power along unconnected cables or poorly matched probes.
New users are advised to acquaint themselves with these potential hazards before
commencing. System managers are advised to ensure that any new users understand the
issues mentioned above.
1.2 Software Version and Command Syntax
This manual has been written for TopSpin version 4.0. Throughout the manual procedures to
enter various commands will be outlined.