We considered it timely to test the applicability of transferable multipole pseudo-atoms for restoring inner-crystal electronic force density fields. The procedure was carried out on the crystal of 1,3-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-6-methyluracil, and some derived properties of the scalar potential and vector force fields were compared with those obtained from the experimental multipole model and from the aspherical pseudo-atom model with parameters fitted to the calculated structure factors. The procedure was shown to accurately replicate the general vector-field behavior, the peculiarities of the quantum potentials and the characteristics of the force-field pseudoatoms, such as charge, shape and volume, as well as to reproduce the relative arrangement of atomic and pseudoatomic zero-flux surfaces along internuclear regions. It was found that, in addition to the quantum-topological atoms, the force-field pseudoatoms are spatially reproduced within a single structural fragment and similar environment. In addition, the classical and nonclassical hydrogen bonds in the uracil derivative crystal, as well as the H...O, N...O and N...C interactions in the free π-stacked dimer of the uracil derivative molecules, were studied using the potential and force fields within the concepts of interatomic charge transfer and electron lone pair donation–acceptance. Remarkably, the nitrogen atoms in the N...O and N...C interactions behave rather like a Lewis base and an electron contributor. At the same time, the hydrogen atom in the H...O interaction, being a Lewis acid, also participates in the interatomic electron transfer by acting as a contributor. Thus, it has been argued that, when describing polar interatomic interactions within orbital-free considerations, it makes more physical sense to identify electronegative (electron occupier) and electropositive (electron contributor) atoms or subatomic fragments rather than nucleophilic and electrophilic sites.
10 November 2021 in Acta crystallographica Section B, Structural science, crystal engineering and materials
In this study, novel derivatives based on 6-methyluracil and condensed uracil were synthesized, namely, 2,4-quinazoline-2,4-dione with ω-(ortho-nitrilebenzylethylamino) alkyl chains at the N atoms of the pyrimidine ring. In this series of synthesized compounds, the polymethylene chains were varied from having tetra- to hexamethylene chains, and secondary NH, tertiary ethylamino, and quaternary ammonium groups were introduced into the chains. The molecular modeling of the compounds indicated that they could function as dual binding site acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, binding to both the peripheral anionic site and active site. The data from in vitro experiments show that the most active compounds exhibit affinity toward acetylcholinesterase within a nanomolar range, with selectivity for acetylcholinesterase over butyrylcholinesterase reaching four orders of magnitude. In vivo biological assays demonstrated the potency of these compounds in the treatment of memory impairment using an animal model of Alzheimer disease.
By covalent binding of 1,2,3-triazolyl nucleoside analogues by a polymethylene chain at the N3 atoms, a series of homodimers was synthesized, in which nucleic bases are replaced by quinazoline-2,4-dione moieties connected to the β-D-ribofuranose residues by 1,2,3-triazolylbutyl linkers. Screening of in vitro antiviral activity against influenza A (H1N1) and Coxsackie B3 viruses revealed a lead compound that showed high antiviral activity (IC50 = 11.6 μM) against influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1) virus and a lead compound that exhibited high antiviral activity (IC50 = 12.2 μM) against enterovirus Coxsackie B3.
1 April 2024 in Russian Journal of Organic Chemistry
A series of new dimers of pyrimidine nucleoside analogues have been synthesized. The dimers are composed of two uracil or thymine fragments linked at N3 through a polymethylene bridge and bearing a β-D-ribofuranose residue linked to N1 of the nucleobase through a 1,2,3-triazolylalkyl spacer. Biological screening revealed that some of the synthesized dimers are active against influenza A (H1N1) virus and coxsackievirus B3 with IC50 values of 13 and 4.5 μM, respectively.