Reducing the NMR sample volume using a single organic liquid: Increased sensitivity for mass-limited samples with standard NMR probes

A simple inexpensive protocol for confining an aqueous sample to the active region of a standard NMR probe is examined for high-resolution NMR. The aqueous sample is sandwiched between an inert perfluorinated organic liquid that has been exploited in the design of micro-coil NMR probes. The procedure is demonstrated with 3 mm NMR tubes at ambient and elevated temperatures but should be equally applicable to smaller diameter tubes. It is shown that confinement has minimal effects on line shape and provides at least a two fold increase in sensitivity over a conventional sample, for the same mass of solute.