Weak H-bonds. Comparisons of CH···O to NH···O in proteins and PH···N to direct P···N interactions

Flipping out: role of arginine in hydrophobic interactions and biological formulation design

Arginine has been a mainstay in biological formulation development for decades. To date, the way arginine modulates protein stability has been widely studied and debated. Here, we employed a hydrophobic polymer to decouple hydrophobic effects from other interactions relevant to protein folding. While existing hypotheses for the effects of arginine can generally be categorized as either direct or indirect, our results indicate that direct and indirect mechanisms of arginine co-exist and oppose each other. At low concentrations, arginine was observed to stabilize hydrophobic polymer folding via a sidechain-dominated direct mechanism, while at high concentrations, arginine stabilized polymer folding via a backbone-dominated indirect mechanism. Upon introducing partially charged polymer sites, arginine destabilized polymer folding. Further, we found arginine-induced destabilization of a model virus similar to direct-mechanism destabilization of the charged polymer and concentration-dependent stabilization of a model protein similar to the indirect mechanism of hydrophobic polymer stabilization. These findings highlight the modular nature of the widely used additive arginine, with relevance in the information-driven design of stable biological formulations.

Synthesis and Anticancer Evaluation of O-Alkylated (E)-Chalcone Derivatives: A Focus on Estrogen Receptor Inhibition

Cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapeutic agents. This study investigated the synthesis and biological evaluation of O-alkyl (E)-chalcone derivatives (4a-4v) as potential anticancer agents. The compounds were synthesized via aldol condensation of substituted aldehydes and acetophenones, with structures confirmed by IR, NMR, and mass spectrometry. In vitro cytotoxicity assays revealed varying effectiveness, with compounds 4a, 4b, 4q, and 4v exhibiting potent activity against MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, showing IC50 values between 2.08 and 13.58 µM, besides HCT-116 and HeLa cancer cell lines (IC50 values between 6.59 and 22.64 µM). Notably, compound 4b displayed remarkable selectivity, with an IC50 of 54.59 µM against the non-cancerous WI-38 cell line. Additionally, protein kinase inhibition assays indicated that compounds 4b and 4q effectively inhibited EGFR and VEGFR-2, with 4b outperforming the standard inhibitor erlotinib. Molecular docking studies of compound 4q showed strong binding affinities in the ATP-binding pockets of EGFR, HER2, VEGFR2, and CDK2. In silico analyses further highlighted the favorable pharmacokinetic properties of compound 4q, underscoring its potential as a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor. These findings suggest the therapeutic promise of O-alkyl (E)-chalcone derivatives in cancer treatment.

Synergistic Effects of Unconventional Hydrogen Bonds and π-Stacking Interaction and Their Excited-State Dependence: The Origin of Unusual Photophysical Properties of Aromatic Thioketones in Acetonitrile and Hydrocarbons

It has been established experimentally that aromatic thioketones possess several inherently unique photophysical properties, some of which are highly sensitive even to common hydrocarbon solvents. However, the deeper reasons and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear up to date. In this study, the multistate complete active space second-order perturbation theory (MS-CASPT2) has been utilized to investigate the five lowest-lying electronic states (S0, T1, S1, T2, and S2) of 4H-1-benzopyran-4-thione (BPT) in acetonitrile and hydrocarbons. The results show that the S1, T1, and T2 states of BPT are close in energy so that the T2-state-mediated S1 → T2 → T1 and T1 → T2 → S1 transitions could occur in tens of picoseconds, which exhibits little dependence on the formation of the BPT-solvent complexes and on the bulk-solvent effect. This explains why thermally activated delayed fluorescence from the S1 state has been observed for many aromatic thioketones in both inert media and hydrocarbons. Meanwhile, our calculations show that the intracomplex noncovalent interactions could be automatically adjusted by the redistribution of π-electrons in the flexible aromatic rings. This allows the S2 → S1 internal conversion to occur efficiently in the vicinity of the two-state conical intersection, which results in the remarkable changes in the S2-state lifetimes and fluorescence quantum yields of many aromatic thioketones from inert media to hydrocarbon solvents. The aforementioned inherent photophysical properties could be qualitatively understood by a simple model of frontier molecular orbitals. This model could be used to understand photophysical properties of other aromatic compounds (such as aldehydes, ketones, amines, and carboxylic acids) in different solvents.

Structure and Characterization of Catanionic Complexes and Biocompatible Vesicles of N-Acyltaurine and Sarcosine Alkyl Ester: Encapsulation and Release Studies with 5-Fluorouracil

Hydrated dispersions containing equimolar mixtures of cationic and anionic amphiphiles, referred to as catanionic systems, exhibit synergistic physicochemical properties, and mixing single-chain cationic and anionic lipids can lead to the spontaneous formation of vesicles as well as other phase structures. In the present work, we have characterized two catanionic systems prepared by mixing N-acyltaurines (NATs) and sarcosine alkyl esters (SAEs) bearing 11 and 12 C atoms in the acyl/alkyl chains. Turbidimetric and isothermal titration calorimetric studies revealed that both NATs form equimolar complexes with SAEs having matching acyl/alkyl chains. The three-dimensional structure of the sarcosine lauryl ester (lauryl sarcosinate, LS)-N-lauroyltaurine (NLT) equimolar complex has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The LS-NLT equimolar complex is stabilized by electrostatic attraction and multiple hydrogen bonds, including classical, strong N-H···O hydrogen bonds as well as several C-H···O hydrogen bonds between the two amphiphiles. DSC studies showed that both equimolar complexes show single sharp phase transitions. Transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering studies have demonstrated that the LS-NLT catanionic complex assemblies yield stable medium-sized vesicles (diameter 280-350 nm). These liposomes were disrupted at high pH, suggesting that the designed catanionic complexes can be used to develop base-labile drug delivery systems. In vitro studies with these catanionic liposomes showed efficient entrapment (73% loading) and release of the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil in the physiologically relevant pH range of 6.0-8.0. The release rate was highest at pH 8.0, reaching about 78%, 90%, and 100% drug release at 2, 6, and 12 h, respectively. These observations indicate that LS-NLT catanionic vesicles will be useful for designing drug delivery systems, particularly for targeting organs such as the colon, which are inherently at basic pH.

Structure, Self-Assembly, and Phase Behavior of Neuroactive N-Acyl GABAs: Doxorubicin Encapsulation in NPGABA/DPPC Liposomes and Release Studies

N-Acylated amino acids and neurotransmitters in mammals exert significant biological effects on the nervous system, immune responses, and vasculature. N-Acyl derivatives of γ-aminobutyric acid (N-acyl GABA), which belong to both classes mentioned above, are prominent among them. In this work, a homologous series of N-acyl GABAs bearing saturated N-acyl chains (C8-C18) have been synthesized and characterized with respect to self-assembly, thermotropic phase behavior, and supramolecular organization. Differential scanning calorimetric studies revealed that the transition enthalpies and entropies of N-acyl GABAs are linearly dependent on the acyl chain length. The crystal structure of N-tridecanoyl GABA showed that the molecules are packed in bilayers with the acyl chains aligned parallel to the bilayer normal and that the carboxyl groups from opposite layers associate to form dimeric structures involving strong O-H···O hydrogen bonds. In addition, N-H···O and C-H···O hydrogen bonds between amide moieties of adjacent molecules within each layer stabilize the molecular packing. Powder X-ray diffraction studies showed odd-even alternation in the d spacings, suggesting that the odd chain and even chain compounds pack differently. Equimolar mixtures of N-palmitoyl GABA and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) were found to form stable unilamellar vesicles with diameters of ∼300-340 nm, which could encapsulate doxorubicin, an anticancer drug, with higher efficiency and better release characteristics than DPPC liposomes at physiologically relevant pH. These liposomes exhibit faster release of doxorubicin at acidic pH (<7.0), indicating their potential utility as drug carriers in cancer chemotherapy.

Location of the Shared Proton in Proton-Bound Dimer Compound of Hydrogen Sulfate and Formate: Path Integral Molecular Dynamics Study

The structure of the proton-bound dimer compound of hydrogen sulfate and formate has been studied by considering nuclear quantum effects (NQEs) using the path integral molecular dynamics method. This study unveiled the location of the shared proton and answered the following question: "Is the shared proton localized on either an anion or located around the center of two anions?" We have elucidated that the shared proton is distributed in the region beyond the transition state due to the NQEs, even though the shared proton did not completely overcome the transition state for the proton shuttle.

Transition State Stabilization by SCF2 -H⋅⋅⋅O Bifurcated Hydrogen Bond

The difluoromethylthio group (SCF₂ H), which is generally considered a highly lipophilic weak hydrogen bonding donor, has attracted special interest from the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industry. Remarkably, there have been relatively few literature investigations of SCF₂ H hydrogen bonding interactions. Here, we report the determination of the hydrogen bond acidity parameter A of the SCF₂ H in the most popularly used electrophilic difluoromethylthiolating reagent. We present kinetic and computational evidence of the RSCF₂ -H⋅⋅⋅O2 bifurcated hydrogen bond for stabilizing the SCF₂ H-transferring transition state, which could cause a reversal of apparent electrophilic reactivity of difluoromethylthiolating and trifluoromethylthiolating reagents. Solvent effects on the RSCF₂ -H⋅⋅⋅O2 bifurcated hydrogen bonds will also be discussed.

Proline C-H Bonds as Loci for Proline Assembly via C-H/O Interactions

Proline residues within proteins lack a traditional hydrogen bond donor. However, the hydrogens of the proline ring are all sterically accessible, with polarized C-H bonds at Hα and Hδ that exhibit greater partial positive character and can be utilized as alternative sites for molecular recognition. C-H/O interactions, between proline C-H bonds and oxygen lone pairs, have been previously identified as modes of recognition within protein structures and for higher-order assembly of protein structures. In order to better understand intermolecular recognition of proline residues, a series of proline derivatives was synthesized, including 4R-hydroxyproline nitrobenzoate methyl ester, acylated on the proline nitrogen with bromoacetyl and glycolyl groups, and Boc-4S-(4-iodophenyl)hydroxyproline methyl amide. All three derivatives exhibited multiple close intermolecular C-H/O interactions in the crystallographic state, with H⋅⋅⋅O distances as close as 2.3 Å. These observed distances are well below the 2.72 Å sum of the van der Waals radii of H and O, and suggest that these interactions are particularly favorable. In order to generalize these results, we further analyzed the role of C-H/O interactions in all previously crystallized derivatives of these amino acids, and found that all 26 structures exhibited close intermolecular C-H/O interactions. Finally, we analyzed all proline residues in the Cambridge Structural Database of small-molecule crystal structures. We found that the majority of these structures exhibited intermolecular C-H/O interactions at proline C-H bonds, suggesting that C-H/O interactions are an inherent and important mode for recognition of and higher-order assembly at proline residues. Due to steric accessibility and multiple polarized C-H bonds, proline residues are uniquely positioned as sites for binding and recognition via C-H/O interactions.

Formations of bimolecular barbituric acid complexes through hydrogen bonding interactions: DFT analyses of structural and electronic features

Formations of bimolecular barbituric acid (BA) complexes through hydrogen-bonding (HB) interactions were investigated in this work. BA has been known as a starting compound of pharmaceutical compounds developments, in which the molecular and atomic features of parent BA in homo-paring with another BA molecule were investigated here. The models were optimized to reach the stabilized structures and their properties were evaluated at the molecular and atomic scales. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to provide required information for achieving the goal of this work. Six dimer models were obtained finally according to examining all possible starting dimers configurations for involving in optimization calculations. N-H . . . O and C-H . . . O interactions were also involved in dimers formations besides participation of the X-center of parent BA in interaction. Molecular and atomic scales features were evaluated for characterizing the dimers formations. As a consequence, several configurations of BA dimers were obtained showing the importance of performing such structural analyses for developing further compounds from BA.

Biotin's Lessons in Drug Design

At the heart of drug design is the discovery of molecules that bind with high affinity to their drug targets. Biotin forms the strongest known noncovalent ligand-protein interactions with avidin and streptavidin, achieving femtomolar and picomolar affinities, respectively. This is made even more exceptional because biotin achieves this with a meagre molecular weight of 240 Da. Surprisingly, the approaches by which biotin achieves this are not in the standard repertoire of current medicinal chemistry practice. Biotin's biggest lesson is the importance of nonclassical H-bonds in protein-ligand complexes. Most of biotin's affinity stems from its flexible valeric acid side chain that forms CH-π, CH-O, and classical H-bonds with the lipophilic region of the binding pocket. Biotin also utilizes an oxyanion hole, a sulfur-centered H-bond, and water solvation in the bound state to achieve its potency. The facets and advantages of biotin's approach to binding should be more widely adopted in drug design.

An Examination of Factors Influencing Small Proton Chemical Shift Differences in Nitrogen-Substituted Monodeuterated Methyl Groups

Monodeuterated methyl groups have previously been demonstrated to provide access to long-lived nuclear spin states. This is possible when the CH2D rotamers have sufficiently different populations and the local environment is chiral, which foments a non-negligible isotropic chemical shift difference between the two CH2D protons. In this article, the focus is on the N-CH2D group of N-CH2D-2-methylpiperidine and other suitable CH2D-piperidine derivatives. We used a combined experimental and computational approach to investigate how rotameric symmetry breaking leads to a 1H CH2D chemical shift difference that can subsequently be tuned by a variety of factors such as temperature, acidity and 2-substituted molecular groups.

Proton Transfer in Nitromethane-Ammonia Clusters under VUV Single-Photon Ionization Explored by Infrared Spectroscopy and Theoretical Calculations

It is known that the acidity and reactivity of the CH bond can be enhanced after ionization. Also, this property plays a pivotal role in proton transfer reaction and in the formation of new molecules. Herein, infrared spectroscopy and high-precision quantum chemical calculations are used to study the neutral and cationic clusters of nitromethane-ammonia (CH₃NO₂-NH₃). It is found that in the neutral cluster, CH₃NO₂ and NH₃ are mainly bonded by three intermolecular hydrogen bonds, in which electrostatic contribution plays a major role. After vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) single-photon ionization of CH₃NO₂-NH₃, the positive charge redistributes from the ionized nitrogen atom of NH₃ to the CH₃NO₂ molecule immediately. Then, the proton of CH₃NO₂ transfers to NH₃ to form a proton-transferred type structure CH₂NO₂-NH₄⁺, without any effective energy barrier, due to the positive hyperconjugation of cationic nitromethane. A closed loop of positive charge transfer takes place in the CH₃NO₂-NH₃ cluster after VUV ionization. The present work demonstrates that both the proton transfer reaction and charge transfer process have occurred in the ionized CH₃NO₂-NH₃ cluster. Moreover, it is found that the proton transfer reaction is a result of the highly acidic CH bond caused by hyperconjugation between the σ (CH) bond and π orbital.

CHAL336 Benchmark Set: How Well Do Quantum-Chemical Methods Describe Chalcogen-Bonding Interactions?

We present the CHAL336 benchmark set-the most comprehensive database for the assessment of chalcogen-bonding (CB) interactions. After careful selection of suitable systems and identification of three high-level reference methods, the set comprises 336 dimers each consisting of up to 49 atoms and covers both σ- and π-hole interactions across four categories: chalcogen-chalcogen, chalcogen-π, chalcogen-halogen, and chalcogen-nitrogen interactions. In a subsequent study of DFT methods, we re-emphasize the need for using proper London dispersion corrections when treating noncovalent interactions. We also point out that the deterioration of results and systematic overestimation of interaction energies for some dispersion-corrected DFT methods does not hint at problems with the chosen dispersion correction but is a consequence of large density-driven errors. We conclude this work by performing the most detailed DFT benchmark study for CB interactions to date. We assess 109 variations of dispersion-corrected and dispersion-uncorrected DFT methods and carry out a detailed analysis of 80 of them. Double-hybrid functionals are the most reliable approaches for CB interactions, and they should be used whenever computationally feasible. The best three double hybrids are SOS0-PBE0-2-D3(BJ), revDSD-PBEP86-D3(BJ), and B2NCPLYP-D3(BJ). The best hybrids in this study are ωB97M-V, PW6B95-D3(0), and PW6B95-D3(BJ). We do not recommend using the popular B3LYP functional nor the MP2 approach, which have both been frequently used to describe CB interactions in the past. We hope to inspire a change in computational protocols surrounding CB interactions that leads away from the commonly used, popular methods to the more robust and accurate ones recommended herein. We would also like to encourage method developers to use our set for the investigation and reduction of density-driven errors in new density functional approximations.

Understanding the planar conformations in diarylsubstituted heteroarenes: structural and theoretical insights

We have synthesized and X-ray characterized a series of six diaryl-substituted heteroarenes in order to analyze unconventional intramolecular C_Ar–H⋯N/O in comparison to conventional H-bonds.

Unusual blue to red shifting of C-H stretching frequency of CHCl3 in co-operatively P⋯Cl phosphorus bonded POCl3-CHCl3 heterodimers at low temperature inert matrixes

Heterodimers of POCl₃-CHCl₃ were generated in Ne, Ar, and Kr matrixes at low temperatures and were studied using infrared spectroscopy. The remarkable role of co-operative pentavalent phosphorus bonding in the stabilization of the structure dictated by hydrogen bonding is deciphered. The complete potential energy surface of the heterodimer was scanned by ab initio and density functional theory computational methodologies. The hydrogen bond between the phosphoryl oxygen of POCl₃ and C-H group of CHCl₃ in heterodimers induces a blue-shift in the C-H stretching frequency within the Ne matrix. However, in Ar and Kr matrixes, the C-H stretching frequency is exceptionally red-shifted in stark contrast with Ne. The plausibility of the Fermi resonance by the C-H stretching vibrational mode with higher order modes in the heterodimers has been eliminated as a possible cause within Ar and Kr matrixes by isotopic substitution (CDCl₃) experiments. To evaluate the influence of matrixes as a possible cause of red-shift, self-consistent Iso-density polarized continuum reaction field model was applied. This conveyed the important role of the dielectric matrixes in inducing the fascinating vibrational shift from blue (Ne) to red (Ar and Kr) due to the matrix specific transmutation of the POCl₃-CHCl₃ structure. The heterodimer produced in the Ne matrix possesses a cyclic structure stabilized by hydrogen bonding with co-operative phosphorus bonding, while in Ar and Kr the generation of an acyclic open structure stabilized solely by hydrogen bonding is promoted. Compelling justification regarding the dispersion force based influence of matrix environments in addition to the well-known dielectric influence is presented.

Proving and Probing the Presence of the Elusive C-H⋅⋅⋅O Hydrogen Bond in Liquid Solutions at Room Temperature

Hydrogen bonds (H bonds) play a major role in defining the structure and properties of many substances, as well as phenomena and processes. Traditional H bonds are ubiquitous in nature, yet the demonstration of weak H bonds that occur between a highly polarized C-H group and an electron-rich oxygen atom, has proven elusive. Detailed here are linear and nonlinear IR spectroscopy experiments that reveal the presence of H bonds between the chloroform C-H group and an amide carbonyl oxygen atom in solution at room temperature. Evidence is provided for an amide solvation shell featuring two clearly distinguishable chloroform arrangements that undergo chemical exchange with a time scale of about 2 ps. Furthermore, the enthalpy of breaking the hydrogen bond is found to be 6-20 kJ mol^-1 . Ab-initio computations support the findings of two distinct solvation shells formed by three chloroform molecules, where one thermally undergoes hydrogen-bond making and breaking.

Interplay between σ Holes, Anion···H-C, and Cation-π Interactions in Dibromo[2,2]paracyclophane Complexes

Theoretical calculations were performed to investigate the interplay between σ-hole, anion-HC and cation-π interactions in the complexes of dibromo[2,2]paracyclophane (DBr[2,2]PCP) with alkali (Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺), alkaline earth metal cations (Be²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Ca²⁺), and halogen anions (F^-, Cl^-, and Br^-) using the wave function (MP2) and density functional theory (M06-2X and B3LYP) methods with the 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The study reveals that DBr[2,2]PCP behaves as amphoteric molecule with a predominance of basic character. It prefers to interact with hard cations and hard anions such as Be²⁺ and F^- through cation-π and anion···HC interactions, respectively. Substitution of Br by F and Cl atoms in DBr[2,2]PCP decreases slightly the interaction energies of DX[2,2]PCP-halogen complexes (X = F, Cl, and Br) by 2.0 and 0.3 kcal/mol (M06-2X), respectively. The anion-HC interactions in DBr[2,2]PCP complexes are ∼10 kcal/mol stronger (B3LYP; ∼15 kcal/mol at M06-2X and 7 kcal/mol at MP2) than the σ-hole interactions.

Hydrogen bond design principles

Hydrogen bonding principles are at the core of supramolecular design. This overview features a discussion relating molecular structure to hydrogen bond strengths, highlighting the following electronic effects on hydrogen bonding: electronegativity, steric effects, electrostatic effects, π-conjugation, and network cooperativity. Historical developments, along with experimental and computational efforts, leading up to the birth of the hydrogen bond concept, the discovery of nonclassical hydrogen bonds (C-H…O, O-H…π, dihydrogen bonding), and the proposal of hydrogen bond design principles (e.g., secondary electrostatic interactions, resonance-assisted hydrogen bonding, and aromaticity effects) are outlined. Applications of hydrogen bond design principles are presented.

Innovative Three-Step Microwave-Promoted Synthesis of N-Propargyltetrahydroquinoline and 1,2,3-Triazole Derivatives as a Potential Factor Xa (FXa) Inhibitors: Drug Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation

The coagulation cascade is the process of the conversion of soluble fibrinogen to insoluble fibrin that terminates in production of a clot. Factor Xa (FXa) is a serine protease involved in the blood coagulation cascade. Moreover, FXa plays a vital role in the enzymatic sequence which ends with the thrombus production. Thrombosis is a common causal pathology for three widespread cardiovascular syndromes: acute coronary syndrome (ACS), venous thromboembolism (VTE), and strokes. In this research a series of N-propargyltetrahydroquinoline and 1,2,3-triazole derivatives as a potential factor Xa (FXa) inhibitor were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their FXa inhibitor activity, cytotoxicity activity and coagulation parameters. Rational design for the desired novel molecules was performed through protein-ligand complexes selection and ligand clustering. The microwave-assisted synthetic strategy of selected compounds was carried out by using Ullmann-Goldberg, N-propargylation, Mannich addition, Friedel-Crafts, and 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition type reactions under microwave irradiation. The microwave methodology proved to be an efficient way to obtain all novel compounds in high yields (73-93%). Furthermore, a thermochemical analysis, optimization and reactivity indexes such as electronic chemical potential (µ), chemical hardness (η), and electrophilicity (ω) were performed to understand the relationship between the structure and the energetic behavior of all the series. Then, in vitro analysis showed that compounds 27, 29-31, and 34 exhibited inhibitory activity against FXa and the corresponding half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values were calculated. Next, a cell viability assay in HEK293 and HepG2 cell lines, and coagulation parameters (anti FXa, Prothrombin time (PT), activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT)) of the most active novel molecules were performed to determine the corresponding cytotoxicity and possible action on clotting pathways. The obtained results suggest that compounds 27 and 29 inhibited FXa targeting through coagulation factors in the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. However, compound 34 may target coagulation FXa mainly by the extrinsic and common pathway. Interestingly, the most active compounds in relation to the inhibition activity against FXa and coagulation parameters did not show toxicity at the performed coagulation assay concentrations. Finally, docking studies confirmed the preferential binding mode of N-propargyltetrahydroquinoline and 1,2,3-triazole derivatives inside the active site of FXa.

Takes Two to Tango: Choreography of the Coadsorption of CTAB and Hexanol at the Oil-Water Interface

Mixed surfactant systems at the oil-water interface play a vital role in applications ranging widely from drug delivery to oil-spill remediation. Synergistic mixtures are superior emulsifiers and more effective at modifying surface tension than either component alone. Mixtures of surfactants with dissimilar polar head groups are of particular interest because of the additional degree of control they offer. The interplay of hydrophobic and electrostatic effects in these systems is not well understood, in part because of the difficulty in examining their behavior at the buried oil-water interface where they reside. Here, surface-specific vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy is utilized in combination with surface tensiometry and computational methods to probe the cooperative molecular interactions between a cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and a nonionic alcohol (1-hexanol) that induce the two initially reluctant surfactants to coadsorb synergistically at the interface. A careful deuteration study of CTAB reveals that hexanol cooperates with CTAB such that both molecules preferentially orient at the interface for sufficiently large enough concentrations of hexanol. This work's methodology is unique and serves as a guide for future explorations of macroscopic properties in these complex systems. Results from this work also provide valuable insights into how interfacial ordering impacts surface tensiometry measurements for nonionic surfactants.

Superstrong Noncovalent Interface between Melamine and Graphene Oxide

There have been growing academic interests in the study of strong organic molecule-graphene [or graphene oxide (GO)] systems, owing to their essential noncovalent nature and the consequent chemomechanical behavior within the interface. A more recent experimental measurement [ Chem 2018, 4, 896-910] reported that the melamine-GO interface exhibits a remarkable noncovalent binding strength up to ∼1 nN, even comparable with typical covalent bonds. But the poor understanding on the complex noncovalent nature in particular makes it challenging to unveil the mystery of this high-performance interface. Herein, we carry out first-principles calculations to investigate the atomistic origin of ultrastrong noncovalent interaction between the melamine molecule and the GO sheet, as well as the chemomechanical synergy in interfacial behavior. The anomalous O-H···N hydrogen bonding, formed between the triazine moiety of melamine and the -OH in GO, is found cooperatively enhanced by the pin-like NH₂-π interaction, which is responsible for the strong interface. Following static pulling simulations validates the 1 nN level rupture strength and the contribution of each noncovalent interaction within the interface. Moreover, our results show that the -OH hydrogen bonding will mainly augment the interfacial adhesion strength, whereas the -NH₂ group cooperating with the -OH hydrogen bonding and conjugating with the GO surface will greatly improve the interfacial shear performance. Our work deepens the understanding on the chemomechanical behaviors within the noncovalent interface, which is expected to provide new potential strategies in designing high-performance graphene-based artificial nacreous materials.

Emissions and the application of a series of twisted fluorophores with intramolecular weak hydrogen bonds

A series of twisted fluorophores of CEOCH (((2,5-dimethoxy-1,4-phenylene)bis(ethene-2,1,1-triyl))-tetra-benzene) derivatives with intramolecular weak hydrogen bonds (IMWHBs) were synthesized to investigate how different substituents on outer benzenes influence their emissive properties. Because of the twisted structure and weak intermolecular interactions, the emissions of the CEOCH derivatives were intense in the aggregated state but as the flexibility and electronic effect of the substituents changed, their quantum yields (QYs) changed from over 40% to 1% in solution. Based on the adjustable QYs of CEOCHs with different substituents in solutions, a fluorescent sensor for hydrazine with an extremely strong light and dark contrast was obtained via the conversion of dicyanovinyl groups to hydrazone groups.

Elusive hypervalent phosphorus⋯π interactions: evidence for paradigm transformation from hydrogen to phosphorus bonding at low temperatures

A paradigm transformation from hydrogen to phosphorus bonding is found to depend on the proton affinity of the interacting π-systems.

Electrostatics and Dispersion in X-H···Y (X = C, N, O; Y = N, O) Hydrogen Bonds and Their Role in X-H Vibrational Frequency Shifts

The frequency shifts of donor stretching vibration in X-H···Y (X = C, N, O; Y = N, O) hydrogen-bonded complexes of phenylacetylene, indole, and phenol are linearly correlated with the electrostatic component of the interaction energy. This linear correlation suggests that the electrostatic component, which is the first-order perturbative correction to the stabilization energy, is essentially localized on the X-H group. The linear correlation suggests that the electrostatic tuning rate, which is a measure of the X-H oscillator to undergo shifts upon hydrogen bonding per unit increase in the electrostatic component of the stabilization energy, was found to be in the order of O-H > N-H > C-H. Interestingly, for each of the donor groups, viz., C-H, N-H, and O-H, the vibrational frequency shifts were inversely correlated to the dipole moment of the acceptor separately, which is counterintuitive vis-à-vis the electrostatic component. This implies that extrapolation to zero dipole moment of the acceptor will yield very large shifts in the hydrogen-bonded X-H stretching frequencies. The trends in the variation of the dispersion and exchange-repulsion components and the total interaction energy vis-à-vis frequency shifts of donor stretching vibration are similar for hydrogen-bonded complexes of phenylacetylene, indole, and phenol. Furthermore, it was observed that the vibrational frequency shifts of all of the complexes are linearly correlated with the charge transfer from the filled orbital of the hydrogen acceptor to the vacant antibonding (σ*) orbital of the X-H donor group on the basis of natural bonding orbital calculations.

Strong and insusceptible photo-emissions from an intramolecular weak hydrogen bond strengthened twisted fluorophore

Intramolecular weak hydrogen bonds of CHO and CH/Pi were introduced into a twisted fluorophore backbone of 1,4-bis(2,2-diphenylvinyl)benzene, which enables the fluorophore to emit violently and stably in both solubilized and aggregated states, and be inert to solvent environments and preserve over 10% quantum yield at temperature as high as 90 °C in solution.

Intramolecular Noncovalent Carbon Bonding Interaction Stabilizes the cis Conformation in Acylhydrazones

Noncovalent carbon bonding, a recently explored σ-hole interaction, was hitherto supposed to be a weak and structure-guided interaction. Here, its role in the intramolecular stabilization of the cis conformation of the amide moiety in acylhydrazones is described. The calculations reveal an electron donation from the lone pair of the nitrogen atom to the empty antibonding C-N orbital [LP(N)→BD*(C-N)] with a concomitant stabilization energy of E⁽²⁾ =1.2 kcal mol^-1 .

Strong CH/O interactions between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and water: Influence of aromatic system size

Energies of CH/O interactions between water molecule and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with a different number of aromatic rings were calculated using ab initio calculations at MP2/cc-PVTZ level. Results show that an additional aromatic ring in structure of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons significantly strengthens CH/O interactions. Calculated interaction energies in optimized structures of the most stable tetracene/water complex is -2.27 kcal/mol, anthracene/water is -2.13 kcal/mol and naphthalene/water is -1.97 kcal/mol. These interactions are stronger than CH/O contacts in benzene/water complex (-1.44 kcal/mol) while CH/O contacts in tetracene/water complex are even stronger than CH/O contacts in pyridine/water complexes (-2.21 kcal/mol). Electrostatic potential maps for different polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were calculated and used to explain trends in the energies of interactions.

Pentavalent phosphorus as a unique phosphorus donor in POCl3 homodimer and POCl3–H2O heterodimer: matrix isolation infrared spectroscopic and computational studies

Phosphorus, an important element among the pnicogen group, opens up avenues for experimental and computational explorations of its interaction in a variety of compounds.

The trans/cis photoisomerization in hydrogen bonded complexes with stability controlled by substituent effects: 3-(6-aminopyridin-3-yl)acrylate case study

The association of aminopyridine-based acrylic acid and its salt was studied by NMR titration experiments. The AA (acceptor, acceptor) hydrogen-bonding pattern present in the salt forms a complex readily with a DD (donor, donor) hydrogen-bonding pattern of the substituted ureas even in polar and competitive environment. The double carbon–carbon bond in the acrylic acid derivative is subjected to photoisomerization. This is dependent on the association with substituted urea derivatives. The substituent in ureas influences the trans/cis isomerization kinetics and position of the photostationary state. Two mechanisms that influence the photoisomerization were proposed. To the best of our knowledge, the trans/cis photoisomerization influenced by the substituent in such a hydrogen-bonding pattern has not observed previously. It was shown that interaction with urea derivatives causes lowering of the trans-to-cis photoreaction rates.

The association of aminopyridine-based acrylic acid and its salt was studied by NMR titration experiments.

Explaining urokinase type plasminogen activator inhibition by amino-5-hydroxybenzimidazole and two naphthamidine-based compounds through quantum biochemistry

Urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) is a biomarker and therapeutic target for several cancer types whose inhibition has been shown to slow tumor growth and metastasis.

Achieving Strong Positive Cooperativity through Activating Weak Non-Covalent Interactions

Positive cooperativity achieved through activating weak non-covalent interactions is common in biological assemblies but is rarely observed in synthetic complexes. Two new molecular tubes have been synthesized and the syn isomer binds DABCO-based organic cations with high orientational selectivity. Surprisingly, the ternary complex with two hosts and one guest shows a high cooperativity factor (α=580), which is the highest reported for synthetic systems without involving ion-pairing interactions. The X-ray single-crystal structure revealed that the strong positive cooperativity likely originates from eight C-H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonds between the two head-to-head-arranged syn tube molecules. These relatively weak hydrogen bonds were not observed in the free hosts and only emerged in the complex. Furthermore, this complex was used as a basic motif to construct a robust [2+2] cyclic assembly, thus demonstrating its potential in molecular self-assembly.

A Critical Check for the Role of Resonance in Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding

Although resonance-assisted H-bonds (RAHBs) are well recognized, the role of π resonance in RAHBs is controversial, as the seemingly enhanced H-bonds in unsaturated compounds may result from the constraints imposed by the σ skeleton. Herein the block-localized wave function (BLW) method, which can derive optimal yet resonance-quenched structures with related physiochemical properties, was employed to examine the correlation between π resonance and the strength of intramolecular RAHBs. Examination of a series of paradigmatic molecules with RAHBs and their saturated analogues showed that it is inappropriate to compare a conjugated system with its saturated counterpart, as they may have quite different σ frameworks. Nevertheless, comparison between a conjugated system and its resonance-quenched (i.e., electron-localized) state, which have identical σ skeletons, shows that in all studied cases, π resonance unanimously reduces the bonding distance by 0.111-0.477 Å, strengthens the bonding by 40-56 %, and redshifts the D-H vibrational frequency by 104-628 cm^-1 . Furthermore, there is an excellent correlation between hydrogen-bonding strength and the classical Coulomb attraction between the hydrogen-bond donor and the acceptor, which suggests that the dominant role of the electrostatic interaction in H-bonds and RAHBs originates from the charge flow from H-bond donors to acceptors through π conjugation.

A systematic analysis of atomic protein-ligand interactions in the PDB

As the protein databank (PDB) recently passed the cap of 123 456 structures, it stands more than ever as an important resource not only to analyze structural features of specific biological systems, but also to study the prevalence of structural patterns observed in a large body of unrelated structures, that may reflect rules governing protein folding or molecular recognition. Here, we compiled a list of 11 016 unique structures of small-molecule ligands bound to proteins - 6444 of which have experimental binding affinity - representing 750 873 protein-ligand atomic interactions, and analyzed the frequency, geometry and impact of each interaction type. We find that hydrophobic interactions are generally enriched in high-efficiency ligands, but polar interactions are over-represented in fragment inhibitors. While most observations extracted from the PDB will be familiar to seasoned medicinal chemists, less expected findings, such as the high number of C-H···O hydrogen bonds or the relatively frequent amide-π stacking between the backbone amide of proteins and aromatic rings of ligands, uncover underused ligand design strategies.