Benchtop NMR spectrometers in academic teaching

Cost and workflow considerations can render high-field NMR spectrometers a poor match for hands-on learning in an undergraduate teaching laboratory curriculum. Recent developments in permanent magnet technology have enabled a new class of NMR instrumentation: the benchtop spectrometer. These small, affordable, low-field NMR spectrometers (40-80 MHz) can easily be incorporated into undergraduate teaching laboratory courses. This review details the current state of benchtop NMR spectrometer use in academia, highlighting both existing benchtop and selected low-field NMR undergraduate laboratory exercises. This suite of experiments is supplemented with some high-field NMR experiments that are conducive to translation to the benchtop.