Microcoil based micro-NMR spectrometer and method

The present invention provides an NMR apparatus comprising an analyte sample holder having a containment region that holds a volume of less than about 10 microliters of the analyte sample, a microcoil, which encloses the containment region of the analyte sample holder and the analyte sample contained therein, the microcoil having an inside dimension of less than about 1 mm, and the microcoil operatively associated with the analyte sample contained in the containment region of the analyte sample holder such that the microcoil can transmit and/or receive energy from the analyte sample in the containment region of the analyte sample holder, and a magnet having a mass less than about 50 kg, the magnet positioned about the microcoil and the analyte sample in the containment region of the analyte sample holder to provide a static magnetic field in which the microcoil and the analyte sample in the containment region of the analyte sample holder are located, wherein the microcoil and the magnet provide for the obtainment of an NMR spectrum. The present invention also provides a method of analysis and elucidation of the chemical structure of an analyte using NMR, the method comprising providing an analyte sample that has a volume of less than about 10 microliters, enclosing the analyte sample in a microcoil, generating a static magnetic field about the analyte sample using a magnet, transmitting energy to the analyte sample to excite the sample from its equilibrium state to its excited state, detecting the energy emitted from the analyte sample when the sample relaxes from its excited state to its equilibrium state using the microcoil, and analyzing and graphically displaying the detected energy as a time or frequency domain spectrum.