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MRI imaging can be significantly enhanced by injecting highly magnetized chemical agents, but the short magnetization lifetime requires processing at the point of use. Here, the authors demonstrate a method that could extend the lifetime from seconds to hours, enabling remote preparation.

Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) promote the degradation of targets by ensuring the proximity of the E3-ligase and the target, and understanding the structure of PROTACs at the atomic level is key to developing more efficient degraders. Here the authors determine the complete atomic-level structure of an amorphous Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)-based SMARCA2 PROTAC (PROTAC 2).

The authors demonstrate the detection of ¹H ¹H J-couplings, which are difficult to observe in the solid state, in plastic crystals of camphor using solid state NMR at magic angle spinning rates of 100 kHz and above.

Charge transport and extraction in polycrystalline perovskite films are often hindered by inefficient carrier transfer across grain domain boundaries (GDBs). Here, authors employ supramolecular assisted Rb+ delivery for in-situ GDB bridging, achieving efficiency of 26.02% for perovskite solar cells.

The atomic-level ensemble structure of an amorphous form of a drug is determined by combining NMR experiments with molecular dynamics simulations and machine-learned chemical shifts. The structure explains the stabilization of the amorphous form.

Determining the structure of amorphous solids is important for optimization of pharmaceutical formulations, but direct relation of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and NMR to achieve this is challenging. Here, the authors use a machine learning model of chemical shifts to solve the atomic-level structure of the hydrated amorphous drug AZD5718 by combining dynamic nuclear polarization-enhanced solid-state NMR with predicted shifts for MD simulations of large systems.

Various approaches have been developed to push higher the efficiency of halide perovskite solar cells. Here Alharbi et al. show that ammonium salts treatment can reduce the defect density at the perovskite surface and understand the passivation mechanism with 2D-solid state NMR.

Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance combined with quantum chemical shift predictions is limited by high computational cost. Here, the authors use machine learning based on local atomic environments to predict experimental chemical shifts in molecular solids with accuracy similar to density functional theory.

The manner in which carboxylates bind to the surface of nanoparticles has been an important question in materials science. Now, multinuclear magnetic resonance experiments — alongside DFT calculations, XPS and TEM measurements — have elucidated the three-dimensional ligand structures of gold nanoparticles capped with various ratios of carboxylate-containing ligands, and enabled the determination of the most probable binding modes.

The defects at the perovskite/carrier transport layer interface pose significant challenges to the performance of perovskite solar cells. Here, the authors introduce a dual host-guest complexation strategy with Cs-crown-ether and ammonium salt, achieving a high PCE of 25.9% with superior stability.

It remains a challenge to achieve a balance between performance and stability, as well as addressing the environmental impact of perovskite solar cells. Here, the authors propose a multimodal host-guest complexation strategy enabling these shortcomings to be addressed simultaneously.

Element doping has been proven a useful strategy to tune the properties of halide perovskites. Here Xiang et al. show that barium unexpectedly does not incorporate in perovskite lattice but induces phase segregation and bandgap reduction and inhibits non-radiative recombination.

Incorporation of the pseudo-halide anion formate during the fabrication of α-FAPbI₃ perovskite films eliminates deleterious iodide vacancies, yielding solar cell devices with a certified power conversion efficiency of 25.21 per cent and long-term operational stability.

Metal-organic frameworks have shown promise as nanoreactors, facilitating the synthesis of molecules that are otherwise difficult to isolate. Here, the authors design a framework featuring unobstructed adenine linkers to which thymine molecules can base-pair, allowing for thymine dimerization in the pores upon UV irradiation.

The aggregation prone D76N beta-2 microglobulin mutant causes systemic amyloidosis. Here the authors combine crystallography, solid-state NMR, and computational studies and show that the D76N mutation increases protein dynamics and destabilizes the outer strands, which leads to an exposure of amyloidogenic parts explaining its aggregation propensity.

Engineering hybrid perovskites at the molecular level to solve the stability problem remains a challenge. Here Grätzel et al. design a multifunctional molecular modulator that interacts with the perovskite via modes elucidated by solid state NMR spectroscopy and show high efficiency and operational stability.

Porins, like OmpG, are embedded in the outer membrane of bacteria and facilitate uptake and secretion of nutrients and ions. Here the authors present a protocol for solid state NMR structure determination of proteins larger than 25 kDa and use it to structurally characterize membrane embedded OmpG.

Solid-state NMR is useful to study the local structure, dynamics and dopant speciation in metal halide perovskites. This Perspective describes the practical aspects of the method that make it broadly applicable to optoelectronic materials.

This Primer on solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy summarizes the most common experiments and data analysis approaches used to determine the structure and dynamics of solids and semi-solids as applied to biology, chemistry and materials sciences.