Invarioms for improved absolute structure determination of light-atom crystal structures.

The determination of molecular absolute configuration from an X-ray analysis for structures that contain only light elements is challenging owing to the weak anomalous dispersion signal. The achievable precision of the Flack x parameter for such structures is therefore limited, especially when the independent-atom model is employed. Invariom modelling can improve this situation. Invarioms are theoretically predicted pseudoatoms within the Hansen & Coppens multipole formalism. They are transferable from one molecule to another and provide generalized aspherical atomic form factors. It is shown that, by application of the invariom approach, the precision and standard uncertainty of the Flack x parameter and therefore the reliability of deducing molecular chirality in an absolute structure determination can be improved.

Racemic dipeptide glycyl-DL-leucine at 120 K.

The structure of glycyl-DL-leucine, C(8)H(16)N(2)O(3), has been determined at 120 K by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In addition to three N-H.O-type hydrogen bonds of the positively charged RNH(3)(+) group of the zwitterionic molecule, an intermolecular N-H. O contact exists between the peptide bond and the carboxylate group. Four hydrogen-bond cycles were identified, giving a complex pattern.

X-ray analysis of 3-O-(6-O-acetyl-2,4-diazido-3-O-benzyl-2,4-dideoxy-alpha-D-gl glucopyranosyl)-1,6-anhydro-2,4-diazido-2,4-dideoxy-beta-D- glucopyranose, a disaccharide having an unusual alpha-D-(1----3) linkage.

The crystal structure of 3-O-(6-O-acetyl-2,4-diazido-3-O-benzyl-2,4-dideoxy-alpha-D- glucopyranosyl)-1,6-anhydro- 2,4-diazido-2,4-dideoxy-beta-D-glucopyranose, C21H24N12O7, mol. wt. 556.5, was investigated by X-ray analysis. The disaccharide crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1, with a = 889.3(5), b = 869.6(5), and c = 999.5(6) pm, and alpha = 105.83(4) degrees, beta = 116.22(4) degrees, gamma = 88.42(4) degrees, Z = 1, and rho = 1.394 g.cm-3. Phase determination failed with direct methods, but, as the 1,6-anhydride component of the molecule was already known from a previous structure analysis, the vector-search method could be applied in solving the structure. Diffractometer data were refined to an R value of 0.063 (Rw = 0.080) for 2102 observed reflections. The anhydro-bridged system has a distorted 1C4(D) conformation, in agreement with that of other anhydropyranoses so far investigated. A comparison shows that, for the specific kind of distortion, mainly the anti-reflex effect is responsible, whereas 1,3-diaxial interactions have a minor influence. The nonbridged ring adopts an almost perfect 4C1(D) conformation. The anomeric effect is observed in both of the sugar-ring systems in terms of bond-length shortening. The disaccharide has an alpha-D-Glc-4C1-(1a----3e)-D-Glc-1C4 glycosidic linkage. No previous X-ray investigation of a compound of this type is known. The pyranoid rings are almost perpendicular to each other. The phi, psi angles of the glycosidic linkage are +78.1(5) and -86.0(4) degrees.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)