Konstantin Ivanov Intercontinental Magnetic Resonance Seminar

Konstantin Ivanov intercontinental magnetic resonance seminar series started on April 8, 2020. It organises seminars on a range of topics in magnetic resonance covering NMR, EPR, hyperpolarisation, colour centres and optical pumping, and ZULF NMR. The emphasis of the talks are on both methods and applications and a perspective on the future of the field. The speakers include a wide range of scientists ranging from PhD students to post-doctoral fellows, to senior scientists.

Upcoming Talks:

• March 20, 2026, Dorothea Wisser, University of Basel, Switzerland, "Solid-state MAS NMR spectroscopy in heterogeneous catalysis: New catalytic concepts and operando observation of photocatalysis", Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy under Magic Angle Spinning (MAS) is a powerful technique for structural characterization of complex solids, particularly for probing the local environment of molecular species at surfaces and within porous materials. We present our recent investigations of a promising new class of catalysts, Supported Ionic Liquid Phase (SILP) catalysts, which combine advantages of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts. In SILPs, ionic liquid–support interactions strongly affect film formation and thus selectivity in gas-phase catalysis. Selective positioning of the catalytic unit can be achieved using tailor-made self-assembling ionic liquids. By multinuclear solid-state MAS NMR combined with molecular dynamics simulations, we show these ILs form a well-defined monolayer in SBA-15. These ILs act as ligands for a catalytically active metal complex, positioning the metal center at a defined distance from the solid support without covalent bonds. Online observation of heterogeneous catalytic reactions is challenging for solid-state NMR. Light-irradiated processes are especially underexplored. We report the first operando observation of photoreforming of 13C-labelled methanol to formaldehyde by real-time light irradiation of a transparent sapphire rotor at MAS rates up to 11.5 kHz. To ensure efficient light penetration through the rotor, we use meso- and macroporous rotor-sized silica monoliths coated with titania as the catalytic phase. The network of pores larger than visible-light wavelengths enhances light penetration and catalytic activity. This hardware, combined with high-surface-area macroporous silica supports, provides ideal conditions for sensitive real-time observation of heterogeneous photocatalytic reactions by solid-state NMR.

• March 27, 2026, TBA

• April 3, 2026, Milan Zachrdla, University of Vienna

• April 10, 2026, Federico de Biasi, University of Padova