X-ray crystallography

The National Single Crystal X-ray Facility in the Crystal and Structural Chemistry group offers crystal structure determinations to synthetic chemists at universities, institutes and companies in The Netherlands. With experienced staff, state-of-the-art equipment and advanced software we are able to handle a large variation of chemical compounds. In academic collaborations we contribute significantly to the preparation of scientific publications. Examples of our structural studies include model systems that mimic catalytic sites in proteins or synthetic catalysts to be used in the clean production of desired pharmaceuticals or materials. Such studies are necessary for a detailed understanding of the catalytic process at the molecular level. Similarly, crystal structures of pharmaceuticals are studied to obtain experimental evidence of molecular conformations, intermolecular interactions, absolute configuration, polymorphs and details of solvent inclusions. This information is needed as guidance to develop better pharmaceuticals. Supramolecular structures of self-organizing molecules through intermolecular interactions are studied as part of research aiming at the development of desired new materials.

Available technologies

The facility has a Bruker Kappa Apex II diffractometer, which was installed in 2010. It is equipped with a sealed X-ray tube (Mo radiation) and a Triumph monochromator to increase the intensity. The detector is a very sensitive Apex II CCD detector. The diffractometer is equipped with a Oxford Cryosystem liquid nitrogen cooling for measurements at low temperature. This diffractometer is routinely used for all kinds of organic and organometallic crystals. A Bruker Proteum diffractometer (installed Dec-2009) with very intense Cu radiation is available for protein crystallography. It is also very useful for small and weakly diffracting crystals in chemical crystallography. Air and temperature sensitive crystals can be handled under a stream of nitrogen during crystal mounting when required.

For more information, procedures for access to the facility and for contact details, please visit the website of the National Single Crystal X-ray Facility.