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Which atomic nuclei can be studied with nuclear magnetic resonance?

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Figure 1: Precession of a magnetic dipole moment μ in the presence of a constant field H and a rotating field H′ (see text)
magnetic resonance Figure 1: Precession of a magnetic dipole moment μ in the presence of a constant field H and a rotating field H′ (see text)

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relies on the magnetic moment of an atomic nucleus. For a nucleus to be studied using NMR, it must possess a non-zero nuclear spin.

According to the principles of quantum mechanics, nuclei with even numbers of both protons and neutrons have a spin of zero in their ground states and are therefore not observable by NMR. Conversely, nuclei with odd mass numbers have half-integer spins, and nuclei with even mass numbers but odd numbers of protons or neutrons have integer spins; these nuclei can exhibit the magnetic properties necessary for NMR studies.1

In practice, researchers utilize a variety of isotopes that meet these criteria to analyze molecular structures and chemical environments. Commonly studied nuclei include:

  • 1H (proton)2
  • 13C2
  • 15N2
  • 17O2
  • 31P2

The ability to study these specific nuclei allows scientists to derive detailed information about molecular linkages, chemical shifts, and the physical properties of materials ranging from organic compounds to metals.32