More precise information on the orientation can be obtained by considering the number of vibrational modes which are detected and applying the 'surface selection rule'. The purpose of the above experiments is to study adsorbed reactants and products and to try to isolate and investigate intermediates in surface reactions induced thermally or photochemically. The research effort of my group is focused in two directions. A wide variety of organophosphorus and organosulphur peptide isosteres have been prepared and analysed. The Department is currently purchasing a new 400 MHz spectrometer which will have broad band decoupling facilities and a gradient probe.
Oligosaccharide synthesis is the second area under investigation.
The enzyme catalysed coupling of simple sugars is being studied. Reactions are analysed by normal phase high pressure liquid chromatography. The separation is based on the peripheral hydroxyls of a cyclodextrin column. Product linkage and stereochemistry are determined by NMR experiment. 2 O. Most of our effort involves the room temperature operated near-IR lasers which have been built into an inexpensive and portable device which can easily be linked up to fibre optics.