MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of an X-ray Diffraction Instrument for Research and Education in Southeast Wisconsin

This award is jointly supported by the Major Research Instrumentation and the Chemistry Research Instrumentation Programs. Marquette University is acquiring a diffractometer with an advanced detector and X-ray optics to support the research of Professors Fiedler, Gardinier, and Reiter. In general, an X-ray diffractometer allows accurate and precise measurements of the full three-dimensional structure of a molecule, including bond distances and angles, and provides accurate information about the spatial arrangement of a molecule relative to neighboring molecules. The instrument will be utilized in multiple research areas, including inorganic chemistry, magnetic materials, catalysis, biochemistry, and pharmaceutical studies. Training opportunities in crystallographic analysis will be provided to undergraduate and graduate students in the Chemistry and Biological Sciences Departments of Marquette University, as well as nearby colleges and universities. In addition, this instrumentation will benefit chemical industry in Southeast Wisconsin, as these companies often require X-ray diffractometers to understand the structures of complex molecules and materials. The award is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels. Research enabled by the instrument is focused on provide molecular structures to advance knowledge of coordination chemistry, magnetic materials, and transition-metal catalysis. The instrumentation will also enable studies of biomolecules, including enzymes and RNA/protein adducts. The X-ray diffractometer will be utilized by researchers at Marquette University, nearby colleges and universities, and companies in the region to obtain structural insights into drug targets, natural products, protein crystals, transition-metal complexes, and materials. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.