Analyst Blog

Introducing one of our recent Emerging Investigator Series authors, Dr Jean-Nicolas Dumez! Read Dr Dumez’s recent paper ‘online reaction monitoring by single-scan 2D NMR under flow conditions,’ and find out more about him in the interview below!

Jean-Nicolas Dumez is a CNRS associate scientist at the University of Nantes, working on the developments of NMR methods for the analysis of solution mixture. He did a Ph.D. in solid-state NMR at the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon in France, followed by two post-doctoral stays, working in magnetic resonance imaging, at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, then in hyperpolarisation, at the University of Southampton in the UK. He joined the CNRS and moved to solution-state NMR in 2014, first in Paris-Saclay, then in Nantes. He works on the development of NMR methods, and currently focuses on the analysis of solution mixtures.

Your recent Emerging Investigator Series paper focuses on 2D NMR for online reaction monitoring. How has your research evolved from your first article to this most recent article?

I have worked in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) since my master’s research project, but I have moved from solids to imaging to liquids. My main interest is in the development and use of spin-dynamics tools and concepts to look at molecules. I have enjoyed moving between topics, and this paper includes ingredients collected along the way in these different areas.

What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment?

We are working on fast methods related to the ones described in the Analyst paper, which use diffusion information to separate the spectra of molecules in a mixture. This involves concepts that we borrow from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and a nice mix of theory, experiments and simulation. We are also working towards reaction monitoring with these methods.

In your opinion, what is the biggest advantage to using single-scan ultrafast 2D NMR compared to other NMR methods?

The obvious advantage is speed. For out-of-equilibrium systems (chemical reactions, hyperpolarised substrates) that evolves on a minute timescale or less, there is often no other way to collect a full 2D NMR spectrum.

What do you find most challenging about your research?

When developing NMR methods, sometimes finding the right concept is the most challenging aspect and then everything runs smoothly. Sometimes turning this concept into something that works for more than special cases is the real challenge. Both can be interesting, and I find it hard to predict in advance.   

At which upcoming conferences or events may our readers meet you?

I usually participate to magnetic resonance conferences such as EUROMAR and ENC. Hopefully the NMR community will be able meet in Asilomar next year!

How do you spend your spare time?

Most of my time outside the lab is happily spent with my family, and I occasionally still get a chance to read a few pages from a novel or listen to a recent record.

Which profession would you choose if you were not a scientist?

I have never contemplated a profession that was not science related, be it teaching, fundamental research, R & D…

We’re very pleased to introduce our latest Emerging Investigator, James Blakemore!

James Blakemore is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Kansas. James was raised in Kansas, studied chemistry with Francis D’Souza at Wichita State University, and then moved to Yale University, completing his Ph.D. in Chemistry in 2012 as a student of Gary Brudvig and Robert Crabtree. Upon completing his Ph.D., James was a postdoctoral scholar at Caltech with Harry Gray. At KU since 2016, James’s research focuses on use of inorganic and organometallic chemistry with the d- and f-elements to gain new insights into clean energy sources.

Read James’ paper “Electrodeposition behavior of homoleptic transition metal acetonitrile complexes interrogated with piezoelectric gravimetry,” and find out more about him in the interview below.

Your recent Emerging Investigator Series paper focuses on the electrodeposition behaviour of homoleptic transition metal acetonitrile complexes. How has your research evolved from your first article to this most recent article?
Our work started by examining a nominally molecular catalyst system that seemed, under some conditions, to form electrodeposited heterogeneous material. This complicates catalyst design, and so we pursued this phenomenon, with the finding that a key homoleptic acetonitrile complex was an intermediate on the path to formation of heterogeneous material. We imagined that such acetonitrile complexes might be a more general class of electrodeposition precursors, and this idea brought us to the work laid out in our new paper.
What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment?
I am excited about the prospect of applying the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance to more exotic problems in inorganic chemistry. For example, electrochemical work aimed at new processing or purification routes for lanthanide and actinide elements (those from the f-block at the bottom of the periodic table) could be quite useful. The work in our new article shows how such work might be done.

In your opinion, what are the most promising applications of piezoelectric gravimetry?
It is remarkably useful for understanding complex electrochemical systems. In molecular electrochemistry, it is often straightforward to measure currents but understanding the species present in the system giving rise to those currents can be challenging to work out. Piezoelectric gravimetry allows you to study heterogeneous species that might form and/or be present initially, or rule them out. In complex situations like those often required for studies of catalysis, this is crucial information that can totally change your view of the chemistry happening in the system.

What do you find most challenging about your research?
Research in synthetic chemistry, that is, working with compounds that we prepare ourselves rather than those found naturally, is daunting. Sometimes, even if you can design a route to make a new compound, it just won’t work. As my Ph.D. co-supervisor Bob Crabtree used to say, “Sometimes Nature is against us.” Working with a good team, however, makes these setbacks less bitter!

How do you spend your spare time?
I enjoy running, and Kansas is a great place for it; we have many beautiful hills that are gentle on your knees! I have also recently started a new dance class, which is stimulating creativity in all aspects of my life.

Which profession would you choose if you were not a scientist?
When I was an undergraduate, I wanted to become a linguist. I suppose chemistry is a sort of language, so this might not be a surprise!

Can you share one piece of career-related advice or wisdom with other early career scientists?
One of the great pleasures for me during my time as an early-career scientist has been networking and meeting scientists from many different communities. As a postdoctoral scholar or graduate student, you may work in a narrower area, but as a faculty member, I have had the opportunity to meet a wide range of individuals with many different perspectives. I would advise early career scientists to embrace these opportunities, and the diversity of viewpoints that there are in the world. There are so many kind and supportive people to meet!