The CH···HC interaction in biphenyl is a delocalized, molecular-wide and entirely non-classical interaction: Results from FALDI analysis

Bifonazole caffeate: The first molecular salt of bifonazole with enhanced biopharmaceutical property based on experiments and quantum chemistry research

In order to make novel breakthroughs in molecular salt studies of BCS class-IV antifungal medication bifonazole (BIF), a salification-driven strategy towards ameliorating attributes and aiding augment efficiency is raised. This strategy fully harnesses structural characters together attributes and benefits of caffeic acid (CAF) to concurrently enhance dissolvability and permeability of BIF by introducing the two ingredients into the identical molecular salt lattice through the salification reaction, which, coupled with the aroused potential activity of CAF significantly amplifies the antifungal efficacy of BIF. Guided by this route, the first BIF-organic molecular salt, BIF-CAF, is directionally designed and synthesized with satisfactorily structural characterizations and integrated theoretical and experimental explorations on the pharmaceutical properties. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction resolving confirms that there is a lipid-water amphiphilic sandwich structure constructed by robust charge-assistant hydrogen bonds in the salt crystal, endowing the molecular salt with the potential to enhance both dissolvability and permeability relative to the parent drug, which is validated by experimental evaluations. Remarkably, the comprehensive DFT-based theoretical investigations covering frontier molecular orbital, molecular electrostatic potential, Hirshfeld surface analysis, reduced density gradient, topology, sphericity and planarity analysis strongly support these observations, thereby allowing some positive relationships between macroscopic properties and microstructures of the molecular salt can be made. Intriguingly, the optimal properties, together with the stimulated activity of CAF markedly augment in vitro antifungal ability of the molecular salt, with magnifying inhibition zones and reducing minimum inhibitory concentrations. These findings fill in the gaps on researches of BIF-organic molecular salt, and adequately exemplify the feasibility and validity by integrating theoretical and experimental approaches to resolve BIF's problems via the salification-driven tactic.

All-body concept and quantified limits of cooperativity and related effects in homodromic cyclic water clusters from a molecular-wide and electron density-based approach

We strongly advocate distinguishing cooperativity from cooperativity-induced effects. From the MOWeD-based approach, the origin of all-body cooperativity is synonymous with physics- and quantum-based processes of electron (e) delocalization throughout water clusters. To this effect, over 10 atom-pairs contribute to the total e-density at a BCP(H,O) between water molecules in a tetramer. Intermolecular all-body e-delocalization, that is, cooperativity, is an energy-minimizing process that fully explains non-additive increase in stability of a water molecule in clusters with an increase in their size. A non-linear change in cooperativity and cooperativity-induced effects, such as (i) structural (e.g., a change in d(O,O)) or topological intra- and intermolecular properties in water clusters (e.g., electron density or potential energy density at bond critical points) is theoretically reproduced by the proposed expression. It predicted the limiting value of delocalized electrons by a H2O molecule in homodromic cyclic clusters to be 1.58e. O-atoms provide the vast majority of electrons that "travel throughout a cluster predominantly on a privileged exchange quantum density highway" (⋅⋅⋅O-H⋅⋅⋅O-H⋅⋅⋅O-H⋅⋅⋅) using Bader's classical bond paths as density bridges linking water molecules. There are, however, additional electron exchange channels that are not seen on molecular graphs as bond paths. A 3D visual representation of the "privileged" and "additional" exchange channels as well as detailed intra- and inter-molecular patterns of e-sharing and (de)localizing is presented. The energy stabilizing contribution made by three O-atoms of neighboring water molecules was found to be large (-597 kcal/mol in cyclic hexamer) and 5 times more significant than that of a classical O-H⋅⋅⋅O intermolecular H-bond.

Planar in Brooker's mode and twisted in Reichardt's mode: defying the steric forces in biphenyl types of zwitterionic systems through metameric resonance stabilizations

To be planar or to be twisted at the bridge junctions in biphenyls or biaryl types of molecular systems depends on two conflicting forces: (1) steric repulsions (destabilizations) and (2) conjugation assisted electron delocalizations (resonance stabilizations). This work reports an unfamiliar kind of behaviour shown by metamers of a zwitterionic biphenyl type of system, where the Reichardt's metamer was found to be in an usual twisted conformation (delicate balance of conflicting forces), but the Brooker's metamer was found to be in a fully planar conformation. Interestingly, at the ωB97xD/aug-cc-pVDZ level, energetically (ΔE) the planar Brooker's metamer was found to be 16.7 kcal mol^-1 lower (22.9 kcal mol^-1 lower in the CASSCF method) in energy (more stable) than the isoelectronic twisted Reichardt's metamer, and also thermodynamic ΔG values were found to be close to ΔE values for various methods (for example, 15.6 kcal mol^-1 in the above case using the ωB97xD method). When the steric repulsions are in their full potentials at the ring junction site, attainment of a conformational planarity by any biaryl type of system has not been reported previously. Without reducing the steric constraints or even without inducing any attractive forces, determining what other factors were responsible for defying the steric forces is the main focus of this investigation. Using the results of quantum mechanical computations of NBO, rotational barriers, and other saddle points (metastable conformations in singlet and triplet surfaces) in the potential energy surfaces, the dominant contribution of the resonance stabilized quinonoid form to the ground state was delineated as the possible reason for this unusual behaviour.

Control of Molecular Conformation and Crystal Packing of Biphenyl Derivatives

This Review presents a discussion of the conformation of biphenyl derivatives in different chemical environments. The interplay between aromatic stabilization and steric repulsion, normally considered to explain the conformation of the molecule, is contrasted with the interpretation provided by models not based on molecular orbitals. The electronic control of conformation by means of appropriate hydrogen substitution is discussed by examples taken from chemistry and molecular electronics. Supramolecular synthons involving biphenyl are critically analyzed in terms of the molecular conformation, crystal packing and intermolecular forces. Some directions for future research on the control of the conformation of biphenyls are also presented.

Coordination polymers fabricated from Cd(NO3)2 and N,N′,O-pincer-type isonicotinoylhydrazone-based polytopic ligands – an insight from experimental and theoretical investigations

Three new Cd(ii) coordination polymers based on isonicotinohydrazide ligands (HLI, HLII) differing in the presence of a methyl unit have been obtained and extensively characterized by experimental and computational approaches.