A Quantum Theory of Atoms-in-Molecules Perspective and DFT Study of Two Natural Products: Trans-Communic Acid and Imbricatolic Acid

The topological features of the charge densities, ρ(r), and the chemical reactivity of two most biologically relevant and chemically interesting scaffold systems i.e. trans-communic acid and imbricatolic acid have been determined using density functional theory. To identify, characterize, and quantify efficiently, the non-covalent interactions of the atoms in the molecules have been investigated quantitatively using Bader's quantum theory of atoms-in-molecules (QTAIM) technique. The bond path is shown to persist for a range of weak H···H as well as C···H internuclear distances (in the range of 2.0–3.0 Å). These interactions exhibit all the hallmarks of a closed-shell weak interaction. To get insights into both systems, chemical reactivity descriptors, such as HOMO–LUMO, ionization potential, and chemical hardness, have been calculated and used to probe the relative stability and chemical reactivity. Some other useful information is also obtained with the help of several other electronic parameters, which are closely related to the chemical reactivity and reaction paths of the products investigated. Trans-communic acid seems to be chemically more sensitive when compared with imbricatolic acid due to its experimentally observed higher half-maximal inhibitory concentration (bioactivity parameter) value, which is in accordance with its higher chemical reactivity as theoretically predicted using density functional theory-based reactivity index. The quantum chemical calculations have also been performed in solution using different solvents, and the relative order of their structural and electronic properties as well as QTAIM-based parameters show patterns similar to those observed in gas phase only. This study further exemplifies the use and successful application of the bond path concept and the quantum theory of atoms-in-molecules.