A Systematic Investigation of Hydrogen-Bonding Effects on the 17O, 14N, and 2H Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance Parameters of Anhydrous and Monohydrated Cytosine Crystalline Structures: A Density Functional Theory Study

Experimental and computational studies of an antiplasmodial derivative of allantoin; antimycobacterial essential oil from Cordia batesii WERNHAM (Boraginaceae)

Background

Chemical and pharmacological investigations were performed on the stems of Cordia batesii (Boraginaeae); chemical studies included quantum calculations applied on a newly described compound.

Results

A new derivative of allantoin (1) named batesiin (2) was characterized. Thirteen other known compounds involving allantoin (1) were either isolated or identified. GC–MS enabled the identification of six compounds from a fraction containing essential oil. MeOH extract and some isolated compounds were tested in vitro against Pf7G8 CQS and Pf Dd2 CQR strains of Plasmodium falciparum; extract disclosed a moderate antiplasmodial activity (IC₅₀ = 50 μg mL⁻¹). Meantime, the CH₂Cl₂ extract and essential oil fraction were tested on a resistant mycobacterial strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis; a potent antimycobacterial activity with a MIC = 9.52 μg mL⁻¹ was deduced from essential oil. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried on batesiin (2). Calculated chemical shifts at B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) and MPW1PW91/6-31G+(d,p) showed much better correlations with the experimental data. Time dependent DFT at B3LYP/6-31G+(d,p) displayed a major absorption band 3.01 nm higher than the experimental value.

Conclusion

Cordia batesii can be considered as promising in search of compounds with antimalarial and antitubercular properties. DFT studies are very helpful when trying to learn more about the spectroscopic insights of a derivative of allantoin (1).

Nuclear quadrupole resonance supported by periodic quantum calculations: a sensitive tool for precise structural characterization of short hydrogen bonds

Systems with short hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) are notoriously difficult to describe even using cutting edge experimental techniques supported by advanced computational protocols. One of the most challenging issues is the highly dislocated H-bonded proton, which is typically smeared over a large area, featuring complex dynamics governed by pronounced nuclear quantum effects. Thus, in combination with experimental results, these systems offer a rich platform for the benchmarking of various computational approaches and methods. Herein, we present a methodology combining experimental and computational assessment of H-bond observables probed by the nuclear quadrupole resonance technique. Focusing on the case of picolinic acid N-oxide featuring one of the shortest known hydrogen bonds (ROO ∼ 2.425 Å), we compare the predictions of nuclear quadrupole coupling constants (NQCCs) for a series of computational models differing in fine structural details of the H-bond. By comparing the computed 14N and 17O NQCCs with the measured ones and by analyzing the sensitivity of NQCCs to H-bond geometry variations, we demonstrate that NQCCs represent a very sensitive probe for H-bond geometry, particularly the proton location, thereby offering, in conjunction with computations, an accurate and reliable tool for the fine structural characterization of short H-bonds. Importantly, the present methodology is a good compromise between accuracy and computational cost.

DFT Studies of Single Lithium Adsorption on Coronene

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to study the adsorption of neutral and cationic forms of single lithium (Li) on representative original and each of oxygen/sulfur-terminated coronene monolayer surfaces. First, the monolayers of coronene structures were prepared. Next, Li/Li+ adsorptions were investigated on the surfaces of the already optimised coronene models. The results indicate that the singular coronene models can be considered as appropriate surfaces for Li/Li+ adsorption, with stronger Li+ adsorption. Localisations of LI/Li+ species were carefully examined at the central carbon zone of the monolayer surface; however, only one model showed discrepancy by getting localised at the monolayer edge. Energy levels and distribution patters for the molecular orbitals indicate the effects of atomic terminations and Li/Li+ adsorptions, in which the singular and Li+-adsorbed models reveal identical results. Atomic-scale nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) properties were also evaluated, with the results indicating that the atomic properties can determine the major electronic properties for applying the coronene structure for specific applications.

Practical considerations for the acquisition of ultra-wideline 14N NMR spectra

Several considerations for the acquisition, processing, and analysis of high quality ultra-wideline (UW) ¹⁴N solid-state NMR (SSNMR) powder patterns under static conditions are discussed. It is shown that the ¹⁴N quadrupolar parameters may be determined accurately using the frequencies of only two discontinuities in ¹⁴N NMR powder patterns that are dominated by the first-order quadrupolar interaction, thereby eliminating the need for the acquisition of the entire pattern and concomitantly reducing experimental time. A framework for utilizing the WURST-CPMG pulse sequence to improve the efficiency of UW ¹⁴N SSNMR experiments is explored in two parts: (i) a systematic investigation of the design and parameterization of the WURST pulse is presented, and (ii) the development of the practical aspects of CPMG refocusing for the acquisition of UW ¹⁴N SSNMR powder patterns is discussed, with a focus on maximizing both signal-to-noise and resolution, and minimizing spectral distortions. Finally, a strategy is demonstrated that allows for the measurement of the ¹⁴N quadrupolar parameters for any nitrogen moiety whose quadrupolar coupling constant falls within the range 0.8≤|C_Q|≤1.5MHz, by acquiring only two ¹⁴N NMR sub-spectra at strategically located transmitter frequencies; these results are compared to full powder patterns which are acquired using frequency-stepped methods. The methodologies and practical considerations outlined herein are not only useful for the rapid acquisition of UW ¹⁴N NMR spectra, but may also be modified and applied for UW NMR of a plethora of quadrupolar and spin-1/2 nuclides.

Synthesis and crystal structure of new temephos analogues as cholinesterase inhibitor: molecular docking, QSAR study, and hydrogen bonding analysis of solid state

A series of temephos (Tem) derivatives were synthesized and characterized by 31P, 13C, and 1H NMR and FT-IR spectral techniques. Also, the crystal structure of compound 9 was investigated. The hydrogen bonding energies (E2) were calculated by NBO analysis of the crystal cluster. The activities and the mixed-type mechanism of Tem derivatives were evaluated using the modified Ellman's and Lineweaver-Burk's methods on cholinesterase (ChE) enzymes. The inhibitory activities of Tem derivatives with a P═S moiety were higher than those with a P═O moiety. Docking analysis disclosed that the hydrogen bonds occurred between the OR (R=CH3 and C2H5) oxygen and N-H nitrogen atoms of the selected compounds and the receptor site (GLN and GLU) of ChEs. PCA-QSAR indicated that the correlation coefficients of the electronic variables were dominant compared to the structural descriptors. MLR-QSAR models clarified that the net charges of nitrogen and phosphorus atoms contribute important electronic function in the inhibition of ChEs. The validity of the QSAR model was confirmed by a LOO cross-validation method with q2=0.965 between the training and testing sets.

Density functional theory investigation of hydrogen bonding effects on the oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen electric field gradient and chemical shielding tensors of anhydrous chitosan crystalline structure

A systematic computational investigation was carried out to characterize the 17O, 14N and 2H electric field gradient, EFG, as well as 17O, 15N, 13C and 1H chemical shielding tensors in the anhydrous chitosan crystalline structure. To include the hydrogen-bonding effects in the calculations, the most probable interacting molecules with the target molecule in the crystalline phase were considered through a hexameric cluster. The computations were performed with the B3LYP method and 6-311++G(d,p) and 6-31++G(d,p) standard basis sets using the Gaussian 98 suite of programs. Calculated EFG and chemical shielding tensors were used to evaluate the 17O, 14N and 2H nuclear quadrupole resonance, NQR, and 17O, 15N, 13C and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, NMR, parameters in the hexameric cluster, which are in good agreement with the available experimental data. The difference between the calculated NQR and NMR parameters of the monomer and hexamer cluster shows how much hydrogen bonding interactions affect the EFG and chemical shielding tensors of each nucleus. These results indicate that both O(3)-H(33)...O(5-3) and N-H(22)...O(6-4) hydrogen bonding have a major influence on NQR and NMR parameters. Also, the quantum chemical calculations indicate that the intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions play an essential role in determining the relative orientation of EFG and chemical shielding principal components in the molecular frame axes.

Investigation of C–H…OC and N–H…OC hydrogen-bonding interactions in crystalline thymine by DFT calculations of O-17, N-14 and H-2 NQR parameters

A computational study at the level of density functional theory (DFT) was carried out to investigate C-H...O=C and N-H...O=C hydrogen-bonding interactions (HBs) in the real crystalline cluster of thymine by O-17, N-14 and H-2 calculated nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) parameters. To perform the calculations, a hydrogen-bonded pentameric cluster of thymine was created using X-ray coordinates where the hydrogen atoms positions are optimized and the electric field gradient (EFG) tensors were calculated for the target molecule. Additional EFG calculations were also performed for crystalline monomer and an optimized isolated gas-phase thymine. The calculated EFG tensors at the level of B3LYP and B3PW91 DFT methods and 6-311++G**and CC-pVTZ basis sets were converted to those experimentally measurable NQR parameters, quadrupole coupling constants and asymmetry parameters. The results reveal that because of strong contribution to N-H...O=C HBs, NQR parameters of O2, N1 and N3 undergo significant changes from monomer to the target molecule in cluster. Furthermore, the NQR parameters of O2 also undergo some changes because of non-classical C-H...O=C HBs.

A density functional study of 17O, 14N and 2H electric field gradient tensors in the real crystalline structure of α-glycine

A density functional theory (DFT) study was carried out to calculate (17)O, (14)N and (2)H electric field gradient (EFG) tensors in accurate neutron diffraction structures of alpha-glycine at 288 and 427 K. B3LYP is the used method and 6-311+G(*) and 6-311++G(**) are the basis sets in the calculations of EFG tensors at the sites of (17)O, (14)N and (2)H nuclei in the monomer and the octameric cluster of alpha-glycine at two temperatures. Quadrupole coupling constants and asymmetry parameters are the converted parameters of calculated EFG tensors to experimentally measurable ones. The calculated results of monomer and the target molecule in octameric cluster reveal that hydrogen-bonding interactions play an important role in the crystalline structure of alpha-glycine where the results of the target molecule in octameric cluster are in good agreement with the experiments.