Satu Ikonen

2-Acylamino- and 2,4-Bis(acylamino)pyrimidines as Supramolecular Synthons Analyzed by Multiple Noncovalent Interactions. DFT, X-ray Diffraction, and NMR Spectral Studies

Intermolecular interactions of ten 2-acylamino and 2,4-bis(acylamino)pyrimidines (7 of which are previously unknown) have been investigated by X-ray structural, quantum chemical (DFT), and NMR spectral methods. Especially the concentration dependencies of the (1)H NMR chemical shifts and titrations with other molecules capable of multiple hydrogen bonding provided useful information regarding their association via triple or quadruple hydrogen bonding, which is controlled by the conformational preferences of 2-acylamino- and 2,4-bis(acylamino)pyrimidines. On comparison of the properties of 2-acylamino- and 2,4-bis(acylamino)pyrimidines with the corresponding pyridines, an additional nitrogen in the heterocyclic ring is the crucial factor in explaining the stability of various conformers and dimers of pyrimidines. Computational modeling of their dimerization (self-association) and heteroassociation supports the experimental findings. The substituent effects in 2-acylamino- and 2,4-bis(acylamino)pyrimidines are discussed via inter- and intramolecular terms. The subtle balance between several structural factors and their influence on the aggregation of studied pyrimidines was confirmed also by variable-temperature NMR and NOE experiments. X-ray structures of 2-methyl- and 2-adamantyl-CONH-pyrimidines revealed very different intermolecular interactions, showing the importance of the substituent size on the self-assembly process. As a whole NMR spectral, X-ray structural, and computational data of 2-acylamino- and 2,4-bis(acylamino)pyrimidines can be interpreted in terms of multiple intra-/intermolecular interactions.

Supramolecular architectures formed by co-crystallization of bile acids and melamine

Supramolecular multicomponent crystals constructed from three different bile acids (viz. lithocholic, deoxycholic and cholic acid) and melamine have been prepared and the non-covalent interactions in the crystals studied. Both salts and co-crystals were found. While deoxycholic and cholic acid co-crystallized with melamine as a 1 : 1 isostructural molecular complexes in space group C2, lithocholic acid formed with melamine a 2 : 1 molecular complex in space group P21. This is the first report on a multicomponent crystal structure containing lithocholic acid.

Succinobucol's New Coat - Conjugation with Steroids to Alter Its Drug Effect and Bioavailability

Synthesis, detailed structural characterization (X-ray, NMR, MS, IR, elemental analysis), and studies of toxicity, antioxidant activity and bioavailability of unique potent anti-atherosclerotic succinobucol-steroid conjugates are reported. The conjugates consist of, on one side, the therapeutically important drug succinobucol (4-{2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-[(1-{3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy-5-(propan-2-yl)phenyl]sulfanyl}ethyl)sulfanyl]phenoxy}-4-oxo-butanoic acid]) possessing an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, and on the other side, plant stanol/sterols (stigmastanol, β-sitosterol and stigmasterol) possessing an ability to lower the blood cholesterol level. A cholesterol-succinobucol prodrug was also prepared in order to enhance the absorption of succinobucol through the intestinal membrane into the organism and to target the drug into the place of lipid metabolism—The enterohepatic circulation system. Their low toxicity towards mice fibroblasts at maximal concentrations, their antioxidant activity, comparable or even higher than that of ascorbic acid as determined by direct quenching of the DPPH radical, and their potential for significantly altering total and LDL cholesterol levels, suggest that these conjugates merit further studies in the treatment of cardiovascular or other related diseases. A brief discussion of succinobucol’s ability to quench the radicals, supported with a computational model of the electrostatic potential mapped on the electron density surface of the drug, is also presented.

The influence of CH bond polarization on the self-association of 2-acylaminopyrimidines by NH/CH···O/N interactions: XRD, NMR, DFT, and AIM study

AbstractThe single crystal structures of two 2-acylaminopyrimidines, where alkyl groups in acyl moiety are iso-propyl (1) and dichloromethyl (2), were solved by X-ray diffraction method. The strength of intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions depends on the C–H bond polarization increased by exchanging two methyl groups by chlorine atoms in the adjacent substituent. The computational methods provide an additional insight into the intermolecular interactions and are utilized in explaining the differences in the observed crystal structures. The experimental and computational data together explain the differences in the formed aggregates and revealed that these simple substitutions cause crucial changes in the intermolecular interactions.Graphical AbstractIntroduction of nitrogen atom instead of CH moiety completely changes the aggregation.