50 years of NMR: The past, present and future

This presentation will focus on the development of NMR technology at Bruker from a 25MHz system in 1960 to today's highest field NMR, the 1000MHz. The introduction of the first commercial transistorized multichannel system in 1967 started the technology revolution that allowed routine access to NMR data. The introduction of FT spectroscopy as the standard method of data acquisition significantly lowered the substance requirement, thus allowing ¹³Cspectroscopy to become a standard method for structure elucidation (1969). Incorporation of multidimensional NMR and the use of stable superconducting magnets opened up the field to protein structure determination. Automation brought to market significant productivity enhancements, while the introduction of the digital spectrometer allowed for higher reliability and reproducibility. Another important step was the introduction of hyphenated NMR, the combination of NMR in line with LC and MS. This advancement allowed for the use of NMR to analyze complex mixtures and biological samples, i.e. body fluids. This new application required a new level of reproducibility and stability. New levels of hardware and software performance brought us closer to fully automated structure determination. Bruker's introduction of commercially available cryoprobes, together with ultra high field magnets helped to overcome, at least partially, the everlasting fight for sensitivity. Pictures and comments from 50 years of experience at Bruker will enlighten everyone who has relied on an NMR for their research.