The case of infrared carbonyl stretching intensities of 2-bromocyclohexanone: Conformational and intermolecular interaction insights

A New Theobromine-Based EGFRWT and EGFRT790M Inhibitor and Apoptosis Inducer: Design, Semi-Synthesis, Docking, DFT, MD Simulations, and In Vitro Studies

The essential pharmacophoric structural properties were applied to design a new derivative of theobromine as an antiangiogenic EGFR inhibitor. The designed candidate is a (para-nitrophenyl)acetamide derivative of the natural alkaloid, theobromine (T-2-PNPA). The potentialities of T-2-PNPA to inhibit the EGFR protein were studied computationally in an extensive way. Firstly, the molecular docking against EGFRWT and EGFRT790M demonstrated T-2-PNPA’s capabilities of binding with the targeted receptors. Then, the MD experiments (for 100 ns) illustrated through six different studies the changes that occurred in the energy as well as in the structure of EGFR–T-2-PNPA complex. Additionally, an MM-GBSA analysis determined the exact energy of binding and the essential residues. Furthermore, DFT calculations investigated the stability, reactivity, and electrostatic potential of T-2-PNPA. Finally, ADMET and toxicity studies confirmed both the safety as well as the general likeness of T-2-PNPA. Consequently, T-2-PNPA was prepared for the in vitro biological studies. T-2-PNPA inhibited EGFRWT and EGFRT790M with IC50 values of 7.05 and 126.20 nM, respectively, which is comparable with erlotinib activities (5.91 and 202.40, respectively). Interestingly, T-2-PNPA expressed cytotoxic potentialities against A549 and HCT-116 cells with IC50 values of 11.09 and 21.01 µM, respectively, which is again comparable with erlotinib activities (6.73 and 16.35, respectively). T-2-PNPA was much safer against WI-38 (IC50 = 48.06 µM) than erlotinib (IC50 = 31.17 µM). The calculated selectivity indices of T-2-PNPA against A549 and HCT-116 cells were 4.3 and 2.3, respectively. This manuscript presents a new lead anticancer compound (T-2-PNPA) that has been synthesized for the first time and exhibited promising in silico and in vitro anticancer potentialities.

Endocyclic oxygen in 3-fluorodihydro-2H-pyran-4(3H)-one that does not induce the gauche effect

2-Fluorocyclohexanone undergoes chair inversion, giving rise to axial and equatorial conformers, with the equatorial form being highly preferred in solution, for example, 87% in chloroform and 93% in methylene chloride. Modifications in the conformational preferences can modify macroscopic properties of 2-fluoro ketones. The introduction of an endocyclic oxygen in 2-fluorocyclohexanone to give 3-fluorodihydro-2H-pyran-4(3H)-one would be expected to create a gauche effect in the axial conformer along with the O-C-C-F moiety, inducing an increase of its population. However, small changes were verified in the conformational populations both in the gas phase and solution because the carbonyl group plays an important role for the hyperconjugation in the equatorial conformer, despite experiencing strong dipolar repulsion with the fluorine atom. These data were obtained theoretically and by NMR spectroscopy, while the nature of the interactions governing these conformational shifts were investigated on the basis of natural bond orbital analysis.

Theoretical and infrared spectroscopy study of the conformational preferences for some 3-monosubstituted-2-methylpropenes

The infrared spectra of 3-X-2-methylpropenes (X = Cl, Br, I, NMe(2), NEt(2), OH, OMe, OEt, SH, SMe and SEt) have been recorded at room temperature in CCl(4) solution. The C=C stretching mode was analyzed and compared to theoretically calculated data to give insight about the conformational isomerism of these compounds. A combination band systematically appears in all spectra (except for amines); the remaining ν(C=C) band and the corresponding intensities were used to obtain the conformer populations. For second-period atoms bonded to C-3, two or more conformers are observed in CCl(4) solution, but when substitution by heavier atoms takes place, only one conformer is observed under the tested conditions, i.e., the gauche form with respect to the C=C-C-X dihedral angle. Therefore, steric hindrance between X and =CH(2) in the s-cis form is strongly dependent on the heteroatom size, while the effect of the alkyl chain bonded to the heteroatom seems to be of secondary importance.

Theoretical and infrared studies on the conformational isomerism of trans-2-bromo-alkoxycyclohexanes

The infrared spectra of trans-2-bromo-alkoxycyclohexanes (alcoxy = OMe, OEt, O(i)Pr and O(t)Bu) were obtained for the neat liquid, and the C-Br stretching mode was quantitatively analyzed to give insight about the conformational isomerism of these compounds. Frequency calculations supported the band assignments, and the relative band intensities suggest that the diaxial conformer is prevalent for the methoxy and tert-butoxy derivatives (51 and 56%, respectively), while the diequatorial form is preponderant for the ethoxy and isopropoxy derivatives (76 and 77%, respectively). Therefore, the size of the alkoxy group plays a determinant role in determining the conformational preferences of the title compounds.

Orbital signatures as a descriptor of regioselectivity and chemical reactivity: the role of the frontier orbitals on 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions

The FERMO concept emerges as a powerful and innovative implement to investigate the role of molecular orbitals applied to the description of breakage and formation of chemical bonds. In this work, Hartree-Fock (HF) theory and density functional (DFT) calculations were performed for a series of four reactions of 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions and were analyzed by molecular orbital (MO) energies, charge transfer, and molecular dynamics (ADMP) techniques for direct dynamics using the DFT method. The regioselectivity for a series of four 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions was studied here using global and local reactivity indexes. We observed that the HOMO energies are insufficient to describe the behavior of these reactions when there is the presence of heteroatoms. By using the frontier effective-for-reaction molecular orbital (FERMO) concept, the reactions that are driven by HOMO, and those that are not, can be better explained, independent of the calculation method used, because both HF and Kohn-Sham methodologies lead to the same FERMO.