Accurate NMR Diffusion Measurements of Reacting Systems

Abstract NMR diffusion measurements have the promise to provide deep insight into chemical reactions and processes including self-assembly, reaction kinetics, crystallization, and binding. However, when the chemical system alters on the timescale of the diffusion measurement, great care must be taken in both the performance and interpretation of the data. This paper considers the various NMR diffusion timescales, some of the problems that arise with time-variant systems, and various ways that the problems can be removed or at least reduced.