All posts by Teo

Dr. Teodor Parella included in the Stanford University’s Top 1% Scientists (Career Impact) (1960-2022) 

The world’s top 2% of most impact scientists across all fields have been updated in a new list issued in October 2023 by Stanford University (1). Dr. Teodor Parella, head of the SeRMN-UAB, appears in this Stanford list that includes 3230 spanish researchers from all disciplines, around 300 spanish chemists and 81 researchers from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Dr. Parella is found at the top world-wide 1% scientists list, ranking #80088 in the world, #980 in Spain and #21 at the UAB.

(1) https://elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com/datasets/btchxktzyw/6

Dr. Parella has also been ranked #6 at UAB, #268 in Spain and #7687 in the world in the field of Chemistry, according to Research.com, a leading academic platform for researchers, that has just released the 2023 Edition of the Ranking of Best Scientists. The ranking is based on D-index (Discipline H-index) metric, which only includes papers and citation values for an examined discipline. The ranking includes only leading scientists with D-index of at least 40 for academic publications made in the area of Chemistry.

The Chemistry ranking for UAB is available here: https://research.com/university/chemistry/autonomous-university-of-barcelona
The full Chemistry ranking for Spain is available here: https://research.com/scientists-rankings/chemistry/es
The full world Chemistry ranking is available here: https://research.com/scientists-rankings/chemistry

Full list of UAB researchers for all disciplines: https://research.com/university/autonomous-university-of-barcelona

“The Role of Pulsed-Field Gradients in Modern NMR Pulse Sequence Design” described in a new NMR book

Pulsed-Field Gradients (PFGs) play an important role in the development and understanding of modern NMR methods. With the ultimate goal of constructing robust pulse sequences that create high-quality NMR spectra with minimum set-up, PFGs are utilized to achieve an exclusive selection of a specific coherence transfer pathway as well as purging all kinds of undesired magnetization. PFG reduces the number of needed phase cycle steps to a bare minimum, allowing for accelerated NMR data acquisition in shorter spectrometer times. The potential and diversity of several PFG-based NMR elements are presented, as well as instances of their implementation in time-efficient NMR solutions. Practical aspects such as NMR data collecting needs and the attainment of pure in-phase absorption lineshapes are discussed for the most useful NMR experiments.

ISBN13: 9781839164002
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
Published: 17/05/2023

(book) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/9781839168062
(Chapter free) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/BK9781839168062-00001

Molecules with memory at room temperature

A fruitful collaboration between the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) along with other international institutions involving the SeRMN-UAB has allowed the demonstration that a molecular magnetic memory near room temperature is a reality. A new way of storing information has come to light and possesses a potential technological impact. Molecular bits are already here.

Reference: Moneo-Corcuera, A., Nieto-Castro, D., Cirera, J., Gómez, V., Sanjosé-Orduna, J., Casadevall, C., Molnár, G., Bousseksou, A., Parella, T., Martínez-Agudo, J.M., Lloret-Fillol, J., Pérez-Temprano, M.H., Ruiz, E. & Galán-Mascarós, J.R. Molecular memory near room temperature in an iron polyanionic complex. Chem, 9, 373-393 (2023).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.2022.09.025

More info here and in Chemistry world.

Updated NMR Equipments at the SeRMN – UAB

To improve the obsolescence of the oldest equipments, the following new NMR spectrometers have been installed/updated at the SeRMN-UAB Facility in May 2021:

  1. A new AVANCE NEO console for the existing 500 MHz NMR spectrometer, equipped with an automated ATMA accessory and a compatible cryoplatform for the current TCI cryoprobe.
  2. A New 400 MHz NMR spectrometer including a ultrashielded ASCEND magnet, automated SAMPLE-CASE sample changer, high-resolution liquid (iProbe) and solid-state (CP-MAS 4.0mm) NMR probes, and a BCU-II unit for automated sample refrigeration until 233K.

3. A New 300 MHz NMR spectrometer including a Nanobay AVANCE nanoNEO console, ultra shielded ASCEND magnet and a BBFO probe head.

4. A cooled SAMPLE-CASE sample changer and a BCU-II unit for automated sample refrigeration until 233K for the existing 600MHz NMR spectrometer

More info about the equipments and accesories can be found at the Bruker WWW site.

The purchase of these equipments has been co-financed by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities to the 2019 infrastructure call (project EQC2019-005396-P) co-financed by the European Fund for Economic and Regional Development (FEDER) through the plurirregional operating program of Spain (POPE) period 2014-2020.

22-06-2020: Updating Operation Mode in the SeRMN – UAB

From 22-6-2020, all authorized SeRMN users can make use of the self-service mode in the 250auto, 360MHz and 400MHz spectrometers, exclusively from 9AM to 5PM, using the booking program (https://sermn.uab.cat/reserves/). The experiment request service is also active for all those samples that are not recorded in self-service mode:

    Solution NMR form: https://sct.uab.cat/sermn/peticio_servei/RMN_solucio
    Solid State NMR: https://sct.uab.cat/sermn/peticio_servei/RMN_estat_soli
MRI/MRS studies (Biospec) : https://sct.uab.cat/sermn/peticio_servei/mri_mrs
    Another Request : https://sct.uab.cat/sermn/peticio_servei/altres_solicituds

At the moment, the 250robot spectrometer is reserved exclusively for this type of work.

It is very important that the following mandatory rules are respectedt
1. Self-service exclusively from 9AM to 5PM. SeRMN access is not allowed outside of this time slot as there will be no SeRMN staff.
2. Only 1 person per machine is allowed. Always respect two meters of distance separation between people.
3. It is necessary to follow the established protocols of hygiene and safety at a personal level (mask, hand disinfection …)
4. Before and, above all, after using the keyboard and other tools to carry out the experiments (spinner, calibrator …) it is necessary to disinfect them with the hygiene material that you will find available.

Any questions or clarifications, you can contact the staff of the SeRMN who will be present from 9AM to 5PM or through the address .

COVID-19: Reobrim el SeRMN-UAB el dilluns 25 de Maig /Reopening the NMR Service from Monday 25th May

Després de més de dos mesos d’obligat tancament, el SeRMN reobrirà les seves instal.lacions a partir del proper dilluns dia 25 de Maig. Ja que s’han de mantenir certes precaucions de seguretat i higiene, començarem amb un funcionament limitat, provisional i progressiu a mida que es vagi normalitzant la situació del COVID19. Les normes bàsiques de funcionament són:

1. No hi ha autoservei. No cal fer reserva en el nostre sistema de reserves com es fa habitualment. Les mostres seran analitzades exclusivament pel personal del SeRMN.

2. Prèviament, cal fer una sol.licitud de prestació de servei per a cada mostra a través dels formularis de la nostra plana web:

    Sol.licitud RMN en solució : https://sct.uab.cat/sermn/peticio_servei/RMN_solucio
    RMN en estat sòlid : https://sct.uab.cat/sermn/peticio_servei/RMN_estat_solid
    Estudis MRI/MRS (Biospec) : https://sct.uab.cat/sermn/peticio_servei/mri_mrs
Altra Sol.licitud : https://sct.uab.cat/sermn/peticio_servei/altres_solicituds

3. Pels usuaris que treballin a l’edifici de les Facultats de Ciències i Biociències, cal portar la mostra presencialment al SeRMN en horari de matí (9AM-1PM). És important que la mostra estigui ben etiquetada i prèviament desinfectada. L’accés al SeRMN està restringit. Just a l’entrada del SeRMN hi haurà una taula de recepció per desinfectar/deixar/recuperar les mostres (veure https://sct.uab.cat/sermn/sample_delivery_provisional).

4. Degut a l’accés restringit que hi ha a l’edifici de les Facultats de Ciències i Biociències, recomanen als usuaris externs sense autorització d’accés a l’edifici (altres facultats de la UAB, instituts i empreses del PRUAB, i instituts i empreses externes al PRUAB) que es posin en contacte amb el personal del SeRMN per email o per telèfon (93 581 3785 o al 93 581 2291) per concretar el lliurament/recollida de mostres.

Per qualsevol dubte o qüestió, podeu contactar-nos a través del nostre mail institucional () o en els nostres correus personals.

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After more than two months of forced closure, the SeRMN will reopen its facilities from next Monday, May 25. Since certain safety and hygiene precautions must be maintained, we will start with a limited, provisional and progressive operation as the COVID-19 situation normalizes. The basic rules of operation are:

1-. There is no self-service. There is no need to make a reservation in our booking system as usual. Samples will be analyzed exclusively by the SeRMN staff.

2-. Previously, a request for service for each sample through the forms on our website is required:

    Solution NMR form: https://sct.uab.cat/sermn/peticio_servei/RMN_solucio
    Solid State NMR: https://sct.uab.cat/sermn/peticio_servei/RMN_estat_soli
MRI/MRS studies (Biospec) : https://sct.uab.cat/sermn/peticio_servei/mri_mrs
    Another Request : https://sct.uab.cat/sermn/peticio_servei/altres_solicituds

3.- For users working in the building of the Faculties of Sciences and Biosciences, the sample must be brought in person at the SeRMN in the morning (9 AM-1PM). It is important that the sample is well labeled and previously disinfected. The access to the SeRMN lab is restricted. Right at the entrance of the SeRMN there will be a reception table where you must disinfect / leave / recover your samples (see https://sct.uab.cat/sermn/sample_delivery_provisional).

4. Due to the restricted access to the building of the Faculties of Sciences and Biosciences, we strongly recommend to external users without authorization access to the building (other faculties of the UAB, institutes and companies of the PRUAB, and institutes and companies external to the PRUAB) that contact with the staff of the SeRMN by email or telephone (93 581 3785 or 93 581 2291) to specify the delivery of samples.

For any questions or concerns, you can contact us via our institutional email () or in our personal emails.

A new strategy for the regioselective functionalization of C60 fullerenes

Supramolecular Fullerene Sponges as Catalytic Masks for Regioselective Functionalization of C60“, by Carles Fuertes-Espinosa, Cristina García-Simón, Míriam Pujals, Marc Garcia-Borràs, Laura Gómez, Teodor Parella, Judit Juanhuix, Inhar Imaz, Daniel Maspoch, Miquel Costas and Xavi Ribas.

Chem, in press (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2019.10.010

The supramolecular mask protocol is a significant step forward for the regioselective functionalization of fullerenes. The exquisite ability to form pure-isomer poly-functionalized C60 adducts, overcoming tedious and non-practical chromatographic separations, allows for their direct testing in solar cell prototypes. Furthermore, the supramolecular mask strategy can be applied to C70 or higher fullerenes, opening a plethora of poly-functionalized fullerene derivatives to be synthesized and tested. Moreover, apart from the nucleophilic cyclopropanations reported herein, the protocol is currently being expanded to Diels-Alder (DA), 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions and PC60BM-type cyclopropanations, thus enabling a variety of regioselective functionalization reactions. This supramolecular mask strategy can help the discovery of the next generation of improved solar cells (organic or perovskite based) or new drug candidates.

This research has been carried out in close collaboration with Dr. Xavi Ribas (from the QBIS-CAT research group of the University of Girona (UdG)), the Catalan Institute of Nanotechnology (ICN2), the ALBA-BCN synchrotron and the NMR Service of the Autonomous University of Barcelona ( UAB). The results have just been published in the online version of the prestigious CHEM scientific journal .

Presentació Software RMN Mnova (Mestrelab)

Esteu convidats a la presentació del software Mnova (Mestrelab Research) el proper dimecres 1 de Març a l’aula C1/009, de 15:30 a 17:30. És una eina de gran utilitat per qualsevol químic interessat en el processament/manipulació rutinàri/a de  dades de RMN (i altres tècniques analítiques) d’una manera ràpida, eficient i molt intuitiva. Es presentarà les novetats més importants de la nova versió Mnova11 així com es resoldrà qualsevol qüestió pràctica que es plantegi.

You are invited to the presentation of the new Mnova software package (Mestrelab Research) on Wednesday March 1st in class C1 /009, from 15:30 to 17:30. It is a useful tool for any chemist interested in processing / handling routine NMR data (and other analytical techniques) in an efficient and intuitive way. The most important developments of the new version Mnova11 will be presented and practical question of interest will be discussed.

Call for applications: Predoctoral 4-year fellowship in NMR Methodology

Applications are welcome for a four-year PhD position in the field of high-resolution NMR spectroscopy at the NMR Service (SeRMN) of the Universitat Autònoma of Barcelona (UAB).

The researcher will investigate the subject “Analysis of complex mixtures by NMR spectroscopy” under the joint supervision of  Dr. Teodor Parella and Dr. Míriam Pérez-Trujillo, as part of the project “Design and Application of New Methodologies in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance” (Diseño y aplicación de nuevas metodologías en resonancia magnética nuclear, CTQ2015-64436-P, 2016-2018) awarded to Dr. Teodor Parella.

This scholarship is awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO), through the Predoctoral Research Fellowship Program (*) and it is co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF).

The call for applications begins September 13th, 2016, and the deadline for submissions is September 27th, 2016 at 15:00.

All information relating to the call for applications is available at the MINECO web site and at the Database of Spanish National Funding. For details or questions about the research project, contact Dr. Teodor Parella.

(*) Convocatoria de Ayudas para contratos predoctorales para la formación de doctores 2016. Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2013-2016. Programa Estatal de Promoción del Talento y su Empleabilidad, Subprograma Estatal de Formación.

SeRMN presentations at the SMASH NMR 2014 Conference

Some of our last research works will be presented at the annual meeting of the Small Molecule NMR Conference (SMASH) that will take place in Atlanta (USA) from 7th to 10th September 2014.

Continue reading SeRMN presentations at the SMASH NMR 2014 Conference