Deuterated solvents - a group of compounds in which one or more hydrogen atoms have been replaced with deuterium (2H) - are the backbone of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. These solvents are required to make good NMR spectra, especially proton (1H) NMR where the solvent signal can be too strong for the signal being monitored. Using deuterated solvents, the solvent signal is removed to make the spectral analysis clearer and more precise.

Popular NMR Solvents

Some of the most commonly used deuterated solvents in NMR spectroscopy include deuterium oxide (D2O), chloroform-D (CDCl3), dimethyl sulfoxide-D6 (DMSO-D6), methanol-D4 (CD3OD), and acetonitrile-D3 (CD3CN). Alfa Chemistry offers a wide range of high-quality deuterated solvents in various grades, ensuring you have the right tools for your specific needs.

Deuterated Water (D2O)

Properties: D2O has a higher boiling point and density than H2O.

Applications:

  • Used in protein NMR to exchange labile protons and simplify spectra.
  • Employed in metabolic studies to track the incorporation of deuterium into biomolecules.
  • Used as a solvent for a wide range of inorganic and organic compounds.

Deuterated Methanol (CD3OD)

Properties: CD3OD is a polar solvent with a high dielectric constant.

Applications:

  • Used to study hydrogen bonding interactions.
  • Employed in reaction kinetics and mechanism studies.
  • Often used in combination with other solvents to improve solubility.

Deuterated Chloroform (CDCl3)

Properties: CDCl3 is a non-polar solvent with a low dielectric constant.

Applications:

  • Widely used for routine NMR analysis of organic compounds.
  • Often used as a solvent for drug discovery and development.
  • Employed in the characterization of natural products.

Deuterated DMSO (DMSO-D6)

Properties: DMSO-D6 is a polar aprotic solvent with excellent solubility properties.

Applications:

  • Widely used in NMR spectroscopy to analyze organic molecules.
  • As a valuable solvent in pharmaceutical research.
  • Used in a variety of biochemical applications, including protein structure studies and enzymatic reactions.