Butterfly Effect in Cytarabine: Combined NMR-NQR Experiment, Solid-State Computational Modeling, Quantitative Structure-Property Relationships and Molecular Docking Study.

Cytarabine (Ara-C) is a synthetic isomer of cytidine that differs from cytidine and deoxycytidine only in the sugar. The use of arabinose instead of deoxyribose hinders the formation of phosphodiester linkages between pentoses, preventing the DNA chain from elongation and interrupting the DNA synthesis. The minor structural alteration (the inversion of hydroxyl at the 2' positions of the sugar) leads to change of the biological activity from anti-depressant and DNA/RNA block builder to powerful anti-cancer. Our study aimed to determine the molecular nature of this phenomenon. Three 1H-14N NMR-NQR experimental techniques, followed by solid-state computational modelling (Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules, Reduced Density Gradient and 3D Hirshfeld surfaces), Quantitative Structure-Property Relationships, Spackman's Hirshfeld surfaces and Molecular Docking were used. Multifaceted analysis-combining experiments, computational modeling and molecular docking-provides deep insight into three-dimensional packing at the atomic and molecular levels, but is challenging. A spectrum with nine lines indicating the existence of three chemically inequivalent nitrogen sites in the Ara-C molecule was recorded, and the lines were assigned to them. The influence of the structural alteration on the NQR parameters was modeled in the solid (GGA/RPBE). For the comprehensive description of the nature of these interactions several factors were considered, including relative reactivity and the involvement of heavy atoms in various non-covalent interactions. The binding modes in the solid state and complex with dCK were investigated using the novel approaches: radial plots, heatmaps and root-mean-square deviation of the binding mode. We identified the intramolecular OH···O hydrogen bond as the key factor responsible for forcing the glycone conformation and strengthening NH···O bonds with Gln97, Asp133 and Ara128, and stacking with Phe137. The titular butterfly effect is associated with both the inversion and the presence of this intramolecular hydrogen bond. Our study elucidates the differences in the binding modes of Ara-C and cytidine, which should guide the design of more potent anti-cancer and anti-viral analogues.

Elucidating the Role of Noncovalent Interactions in Favipiravir, a Drug Active against Various Human RNA Viruses; a 1H-14N NQDR/Periodic DFT/QTAIM/RDS/3D Hirshfeld Surfaces Combined Study.

Favipiravir (6-fluoro-3-hydroxypyrazine-2-carboxamide, FPV), an active pharmaceutical component of the drug discovered and registered in March 2014 in Japan under the name Avigan, with an indication for pandemic influenza, has been studied. The study of this compound was prompted by the idea that effective processes of recognition and binding of FPV to the nucleic acid are affected predominantly by the propensity to form intra- and intermolecular interactions. Three nuclear quadrupole resonance experimental techniques, namely 1H-14N cross-relaxation, multiple frequency sweeps, and two-frequency irradiation, followed by solid-state computational modelling (density functional theory supplemented by the quantum theory of atoms in molecules, 3D Hirshfeld Surfaces, and reduced density gradient) approaches were applied. The complete NQR spectrum consisting of nine lines indicating the presence of three chemically inequivalent nitrogen sites in the FPV molecule was detected, and the assignment of lines to particular sites was performed. The description of the nearest vicinity of all three nitrogen atoms was used to characterize the nature of the intermolecular interactions from the perspective of the local single atoms and to draw some conclusions on the nature of the interactions required for effective recognition and binding. The propensity to form the electrostatic N-H···O, N-H···N, and C-H···O intermolecular hydrogen bonds competitive with two intramolecular hydrogen bonds, strong O-H···O and very weak N-H···N, closing the 5-member ring and stiffening the structure, as well as π···π and F···F dispersive interactions, were analysed in detail. The hypothesis regarding the similarity of the interaction pattern in the solid and the RNA template was verified. It was discovered that the -NH2 group in the crystal participates in intermolecular hydrogen bonds N-H···N and N-H···O, in the precatalytic state only in N-H···O, while in the active state in N-H···N and N-H···O hydrogen bonds, which is of importance to link FVP to the RNA template. Our study elucidates the binding modes of FVP (in crystal, precatalytic, and active forms) in detail and should guide the design of more potent analogues targeting SARS-CoV-2. Strong direct binding of FVP-RTP to both the active site and cofactor discovered by us suggests a possible alternative, allosteric mechanism of FVP action, which may explain the scattering of the results of clinical trials or the synergistic effect observed in combined treatment against SARS-CoV-2.

Nuclear quadrupole resonance supported by periodic quantum calculations: a sensitive tool for precise structural characterization of short hydrogen bonds.

Systems with short hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) are notoriously difficult to describe even using cutting edge experimental techniques supported by advanced computational protocols. One of the most challenging issues is the highly dislocated H-bonded proton, which is typically smeared over a large area, featuring complex dynamics governed by pronounced nuclear quantum effects. Thus, in combination with experimental results, these systems offer a rich platform for the benchmarking of various computational approaches and methods. Herein, we present a methodology combining experimental and computational assessment of H-bond observables probed by the nuclear quadrupole resonance technique. Focusing on the case of picolinic acid N-oxide featuring one of the shortest known hydrogen bonds (ROO ∼ 2.425 Å), we compare the predictions of nuclear quadrupole coupling constants (NQCCs) for a series of computational models differing in fine structural details of the H-bond. By comparing the computed 14N and 17O NQCCs with the measured ones and by analyzing the sensitivity of NQCCs to H-bond geometry variations, we demonstrate that NQCCs represent a very sensitive probe for H-bond geometry, particularly the proton location, thereby offering, in conjunction with computations, an accurate and reliable tool for the fine structural characterization of short H-bonds. Importantly, the present methodology is a good compromise between accuracy and computational cost.

NMR and NQR study of polymorphism in carbamazepine.

Four polymorphic forms of carbamazepine have been simultaneously investigated by 1H NMR and 14N NQR. The results show that the proton spin-lattice relaxation time and the 14N NQR spectra can be used to differentiate between various polymorphic forms. Spontaneous transformations from Form II to Form III and from Form IV to Form III have been investigated through their influence on the 14N NQR spectrum and the proton NMR signal and spin-lattice relaxation. The 14N NQR spectra prove that in the observed polymorphic forms of carbamazepine the hydrogen bonded dimers of carbamazepine molecules are the basic elements of the crystal structure. The dimers are centrosymmetric in Forms III and IV and in metastable polymorphic form occurring during the transformation of Form IV to Form III. Two non-equivalent molecular positions are observed in Form II with the occupation ratio 1:1 and in Form I with the occupation ratio either 2:1 or 3:1. The 14N NQR data are related to the published crystal structures. Possible reasons for the mismatch of the X-ray and NQR data for Forms I and II are discussed.

14N NQR spectroscopy reveals the proton position in N-HN bonds: a case study with proton sponges.

The position of protons in hydrogen bonds is often uncertain to some degree, as the technique most often used for structure determination, X-ray diffraction, is sensitive to electron density, which is not particularly abundant around protons. In hydrogen bonds, protons introduce an additional problem: the potential for proton motion is inherently anharmonic and thus requires the consideration of nuclear quantum effects (NQEs). Here, we demonstrate that 14N NQR spectroscopy is able to rather accurately determine proton positions in N-HN bonds, in certain cases with an accuracy comparable to that of X-ray and neutron diffraction at room temperature. We first derive, using ab initio calculations considering also the NQEs, a relation between the proton distance from the bond midpoint and the difference between the quadrupole coupling constants for the two nitrogen sites. The found relation is linear with a proportionality constant of 0.108 Å MHz-1 for tertiary amine nitrogens. Then, we validate our theoretical calculations experimentally, using several 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene (DMAN) complexes.

(1)H-(14)N cross-relaxation spectrum analysis in sildenafil and sildenafil citrate.

Here we describe a method for the extraction of (14)N quadrupole parameters from a (1)H-(14)N cross-relaxation spectrum by fitting the lineshapes of the (14)N quadrupole transitions. The procedures used typically to fit quadrupole lineshapes are not directly applicable to fit the (1)H-(14)N cross-relaxation spectrum, because the presence of proton homonuclear dipolar interaction broadens the lineshapes considerably and prevents a reliable determination of Cq and η from a single lineshape. Instead, one must fit two or even three lineshapes originating from the same nitrogen site simultaneously. The problem is to identify which lineshapes belong together when many are observed due to the existence of several nitrogen sites. We solve this problem by fitting the spectrum for all possible combinations and find the best-fitting one. This combination then most likely correctly identifies lineshapes belonging to the same nitrogen site. There are two main advantages of our method compared to the typically used method, which relies only on lineshape singularities: (i) the method is "automatic" and does not require knowledge of nitrogen quadrupole parameters in similar environments to aid dip pairing and (ii) the accuracy of quadrupole parameters is better, as proton linewidth is included in the fits. We use sildenafil and sildenafil citrate as model compounds, each with six non-equivalent nitrogen sites.

Polymorphism and disorder in natural active ingredients. Low and high-temperature phases of anhydrous caffeine: Spectroscopic ((1)H-(14)N NMR-NQR/(14)N NQR) and solid-state computational modelling (DFT/QTAIM/RDS) study.

The polymorphism of anhydrous caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine; 1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-(3H,7H)-dione) has been studied by (1)H-(14)N NMR-NQR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance-Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance) double resonance and pure (14)N NQR (Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance) followed by computational modelling (Density Functional Theory, supplemented Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules with Reduced Density Gradient) in solid state. For two stable (phase II, form ß) and metastable (phase I, form α) polymorphs the complete NQR spectra consisting of 12 lines were recorded. The assignment of signals detected in experiment to particular nitrogen sites was verified with the help of DFT. The shifts of the NQR frequencies, quadrupole coupling constants and asymmetry parameters at each nitrogen site due to polymorphic transition were evaluated. The strongest shifts were observed at N(3) site, while the smallest at N(9) site. The commercial pharmaceutical sample was found to contain approximately 20-25% of phase I and 75-80% of phase II. The orientational disorder in phase II with a local molecular arrangement mimics that in phase I. Substantial differences in the intermolecular interaction phases I and II of caffeine were analysed using computational (DFT/QTAIM/RDS) approach. The analysis of local environment of each nitrogen nucleus permitted drawing some conclusions on the topology of interactions in both polymorphs. For the most stable orientations in phase I and phase II the maps of the principal component qz of EFG tensor and its asymmetry parameter at each point of the molecular system were calculated and visualized. The relevant maps calculated for both phases I and II indicates small variation in electrostatic potential upon phase change. Small differences between packings in phases slightly disturb the neighbourhood of the N(1) and N(7) nitrogens, thus are meaningless from the biological point of view. The composition of two phases in pharmaceutical material should not be any obstacle, which is relevant from the pharmaceutical industry point of view.

Impact of structural differences in carcinopreventive agents indole-3-carbinol and 3,3'-diindolylmethane on biological activity. An X-ray, ¹H-¹4N NQDR, ¹³C CP/MAS NMR, and periodic hybrid DFT study.

Three experimental techniques (1)H-(14)N NQDR, (13)C CP/MAS NMR and X-ray and Density Functional Theory (GGA/BLYP with PBC) and Hirshfeld surfaces were applied for the structure-activity oriented studies of two phyto-antioxidants and anticarcinogens: indole-3-carbinol, I3C, and 3,3'-diindolylmethane, DIM, (its bioactive metabolite). One set of (14)N NQR frequencies for DIM (2.310, 2.200 and 0.110 MHz at 295K) and I3C (2.315, 1.985 and 0.330 MHz at 160K) was recorded. The multiplicity of NQR lines recorded at RT revealed high symmetry (chemical and physical equivalence) of both methyl indazole rings of DIM. Carbonyl (13)C CSA tensor components were calculated from the (13)C CP/MAS solid state NMR spectrum of I3C recorded under fast and slow spinning. At room temperature the crystal structure of I3C is orthorhombic: space group Pca21, Z=4, a=5.78922(16), b=15.6434(7) and c=8.4405(2)Å. The I3C molecules are aggregated into ribbons stacked along [001]. The oxygen atomsare disorderedbetween the two sites of different occupancy factors. It implies that the crystal is built of about 70% trans and 30% gauche conformers, and apart from the weak OH⋯O hydrogen bonds (O⋯O=3.106Å) the formation of alternative O'H⋯O bonds (O'⋯O=2.785Å) is possible within the 1D ribbons. The adjacent ribbons are further stabilised by O'H⋯O bonds (O'⋯O=2.951Å). The analysis of spectra and intermolecular interactions pattern by experimental techniques was supported by solid (periodic) DFT calculations. The knowledge of the topology and competition of the interactions in crystalline state shed some light on the preferred conformations of CH2OH in I3C and steric hindrance of methyl indole rings in DIM. A comparison of the local environment in gas phase and solid permitted drawing some conclusions on the nature of the interactions required for effective processes of recognition and binding of a given anticarcinogen to the protein or nucleic acid.

Unusual case of desmotropy. Combined spectroscopy (¹H-¹4N NQDR) and quantum chemistry (periodic hybrid DFT/QTAIM and Hirshfeld surface-based) study of solid dacarbazine (anti-neoplastic).

Antineoplastic chemo-therapeutic drug 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazenyl)imidazole-4-carboxamide (Dacarbazine, DTIC), has been studied experimentally in solid state by ¹H-¹4N NQDR double resonance at 295 K and theoretically by the Density Functional Theory (DFT)/Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM) and Hirshfeld surfaces analysis. Only one set of eighteen resonance frequencies was found in the experiment. This indicates the presence of six inequivalent nitrogen sites: -N(CH3), -NH2, -NH- and three -N= (of which one is a ring, two are from triazene) in the DTIC molecule. This contradicts the X-ray data which revealed the multiplication of nitrogen sites due to unusual desmotropism. The averaging of NQR frequencies caused by the fast in NQR time-scale exchange of protons in a double-well potential combined with the oscillations of twisted supramolecular synthons was proposed as a potential mechanism responsible for this apparent contradiction. An effective improvement in the quality of the spectrum reproduction was achieved when the calculations were performed assuming the periodic boundary conditions, BLYP functional, the DNP basis set and taking the 3×3×3 k-point separation. The ordering of the nitrogen sites according to the increasing quadrupole coupling constant (QCC): N(3)

Topology of the interactions pattern in pharmaceutically relevant polymorphs of methylxanthines (caffeine, theobromine, and theophiline): combined experimental (¹H-¹4N nuclear quadrupole double resonance) and computational (DFT and Hirshfeld-based) study.

Three anhydrous methylxanthines: caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine; 1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-(3H,7H)-dione) and its two metabolites theophylline (1,3-dimethylxanthine; 1,3-dimethyl-7H-purine-2,6-dione) and theobromine (3,7-dimethyl-xanthine; 3,7-dimethyl-7H-purine-2,6-dione), which reveal multifaceted therapeutic potential, have been studied experimentally in solid state by (1)H-(14)N NMR-NQR (nuclear magnetic resonance-nuclear quadrupole resonance) double resonance (NQDR). For each compound the complete NQR spectrum consisting of 12 lines was recorded. The multiplicity of NQR lines indicates the presence of a stable ß form of anhydrous caffeine at 233 K and stable form II of anhydrous theobromine at 213 K. The assignment of signals detected in NQR experiment to particular nitrogen atoms was made on the basis of quantum chemistry calculations performed for monomer, cluster, and solid at the DFT/GGA/BLYP/DPD level. The shifts due to crystal packing interactions were evaluated, and the multiplets detected by NQR were assigned to N(9) in theobromine and N(1) and N(9) in caffeine. The ordering theobromine > theophylline > caffeine site and theophylline < theobromine < caffeine according to increasing electric field gradient (EFG) at the N(1) and N(7) sites, respectively, reflects the changes in biological activity profile of compounds from the methylxanthines series (different pharmacological effects). This difference is elucidated on the basis of the ability to form intra- and intermolecular interactions (hydrogen bonds and π···π stacking interactions). The introduction of methyl groups to xanthine restricts the ability of nitrogen atoms to participate in strong hydrogen bonds; as a result, the dominating effect shifts from hydrogen bond (theobromine) to π···π stacking (caffeine). Substantial differences in the intermolecular interactions in stable forms of methylxanthines differing in methylation (site or number) were analyzed within the Hirshfeld surface-based approach. The analysis of local environment of the nitrogen nucleus permitted drawing some conclusions on the nature of the interactions required for effective processes of recognition and binding of a given methylxanthine to A1-A(2A) receptor (target for caffeine in the brain). Although the interactions responsible for linking neighboring methylxanthines molecules in crystals and methylxanthines with targets in the human organism can differ significantly, the knowledge of the topology of interactions provides reliable preliminary information about the nature of this binding.

An insight into prototropism and supramolecular motifs in solid-state structures of allopurinol, hypoxanthine, xanthine, and uric acid. A ¹H-¹4N NQDR spectroscopy, hybrid DFT/QTAIM, and Hirshfeld surface-based study.

Allopurinol (1,5-dihydro-4H-pyrazolo [3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-one), the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) of the drugs applied for the treatment of gout and tumor lysis syndrome, recently discovered to have multifaceted therapeutic potential, and hypoxanthine which is a naturally occurring purine have been studied experimentally in the solid state by (1)H-(14)N NMR-NQR double resonance. Twelve (14)N resonance frequencies have been detected at 295 K and assigned to two pairs of two kinds of nitrogen sites (-N═ and -NH) in each compound. The experimental results are supported by and interpreted with the help of quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM)/density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The factors, such as the substituent effect, in particular the shift of nitrogen from position 7 (as in hypoxanthine) to position 8 (as in allopurinol), hybridization, possible prototropic tautomerism, and the pattern of intermolecular bonding, have been taken into account in (1)H-(14)N NMR-NQR spectra interpretation. This study demonstrates the advantages of combining NQR, DFT/QTAIM, and Hirshfeld surface analysis to extract detailed information on electron density distribution and complex H-bonding networks in crystals of purinic type heterocycles, relevant in pharmacological processes. In the absence of X-ray data for xanthine, the NQR parameters supported by DFT/QTAIM calculations and Hirshfeld surface analysis were proved to be valuable tools for clarifying the details of crystalline packing and predicting an unsolved crystalline structure of xanthine. The influence of a decrease in purine ring conjugation level upon oxidation on the biological activity of allopurinol, a xanthine oxidase (XO) enzyme inhibitor, which blocks the conversion of hypoxanthine to xanthine and subsequently xanthine to uric acid, is also discussed.

Hydrogen bonding and proton transfer in cocrystals of 4,4'-bipyridyl and organic acids studied using nuclear quadrupole resonance.

Cocrystals of 4,4'-bipyridyl and several carboxylic acids were grown from the methanol solution of the cocrystal formers. Complete (14)N NQR spectra of these cocrystals have been measured using (1)H-(14)N nuclear quadrupole double resonance. The principal values of the quadrupole coupling tensor are calculated from the (14)N NQR frequencies. A large variation in the (14)N quadrupole coupling constant between 1.3 MHz and 4.7 MHz is observed. A very low (14)N quadrupole coupling constant, characteristic for proton transfer O-H···N → O(-)···H-N(+), is observed in 4,4'-bipyridyl-oxalic acid (1 : 1). In 4,4'-bipyridyl-5-chlorosalycilic acid (1 : 1) the (14)N NQR data show the presence of a short, strong N···H···O hydrogen bond. A correlation of the principal values of the (14)N quadrupole coupling tensor is observed. The correlation is analyzed in the model, where the deformation of the lone pair electron orbital and the change of the population of the π-electron orbital produce the variation of the (14)N quadrupole coupling tensor in the hydrogen bonded 4,4'-bipyridyl. The temperature variation of the (14)N quadrupole coupling tensor in 4,4'-bipyridyl-5-chlorosalycilic acid (1 : 1) is analyzed. Proton displacement within the N···H···O hydrogen bond and the change of the population of the π-electron orbital at the two nitrogen positions in a 4,4'-bipyridyl molecule in the temperature interval between 157 K and 323 K are determined.

¹4N nuclear quadrupole resonance study of polymorphism in famotidine.

(14)N nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) in two known polymorphs of famotidine was measured. At room temperature, seven quadrupolar sets of transition frequencies (ν(+), ν(-), and ν(0)) corresponding to seven different nitrogen sites in the crystal structure of each of the two polymorphs were found. This confirms the expected ability of NQR to distinguish polymorph B from its analog A. NQR can also measure their ratio in a solid mixture and in the final dosage form, that is, a tablet. The NQR frequencies, line shapes, and tentative assignation to all seven molecular (14)N atoms were obtained. Unravelment of these two entangled NQR spectra presents a valuable contribution to the NQR database and enables studies of some possible correlations therein. Moreover, nondestructive (14)N NQR studies of commercial famotidine tablets can reveal some details of the drug fabrication process connected with compression.

Nuclear quadrupole resonance investigation of hydrogen bonding in some cocrystals of 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine and carboxylic acids.

Cocrystals of 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine and several carboxylic acids have been prepared, and the complete (14)N nuclear quadrupole resonance spectra have been measured. The (14)N nuclear quadrupole resonance spectra have been used to check whether the cocrystals are indeed formed and to investigate the hydrogen bonding scheme of 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine molecules. Since a 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine molecule has two hydrogen bond acceptors, it may form either 1:1 or 1:2 cocrystals with carbocylic acids. (14)N nuclear quadrupole resonance is used to distinguish between these two possibilities. Rather large (14)N quadrupole coupling constants in the investigated cocrystals show that in these systems proton transfer O-H···N → O(-)···H-N(+) does not occur. The quadrupole coupling tensor in 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine cocrystals has been analyzed in terms of the deformation of the electron lone pair orbital and population of the π-electron orbital. The analysis shows that the two effects are correlated.

Hydrogen bonds in cocrystals and salts of 2-amino-4,6-dimethylpyrimidine and carboxylic acids studied by nuclear quadrupole resonance.

(14)N and (17)O nuclear quadrupole resonance frequencies have been measured in 1:1 cocrystals and salts of 2-amino-4,6-dimethylpyrimidine and several carboxylic acids. A systematic decrease of the (17)O quadrupole coupling constant on increasing strength of the hydrogen bond is observed in cocrystals bound by O-H···N hydrogen bonds. The O-H distances deduced from the line widths of the (17)O NQR lines show that the hydrogen atom is in a hydrogen bond formed by a carboxylic groups for about 0.01 nm displaced from the oxygen atom toward the center of the hydrogen bond. In the O-H···N hydrogen bond formed by the hydroxyl group, which is only slightly longer than the hydrogen bonds formed by the carboxyl group, the hydrogen atom is much less displaced. A linear relation between the (14)N quadrupole coupling constant and the sum of the inverse third powers of the H···A (A = O or N) distances is deduced for the amino group. A linear correlation of the principal values of the (14)N quadrupole coupling tensor in -NH2, as observed in the solid phase and in the gas phase, is analyzed in a simple model assuming a displacement of the electron charge in the N-H σ bond and simultaneous deformation of the nitrogen lone pair electron orbital. At the ring nitrogen position, hydrogen bonding and proton transfer produce a large decrease of the (14)N quadrupole coupling constant. A linear correlation of the principal values of the (14)N quadrupole coupling tensor is observed in cocrystals and salts of 2-amino-4,6-dimethylpyrimidine. This correlation differs from the correlation observed in substituted pyrimidine, where the hydrogen atoms are replaced by other atoms or functional groups. The difference is analyzed in a model, which assumes that the hydrogen bonding and substituents affect the nitrogen lone pair and π electron orbitals. The analysis shows that the two effects are nearly independent.

Tautomerism and possible polymorphism in solid hydroxypyridines and pyridones studied by 14N NQR.

(14)N nuclear quadrupole resonance frequencies have been measured in solid 2-pyridone, 3-hydroxypyridine, and 4-pyridone by (1)H-(14)N nuclear quadrupole double resonance. Two slightly nonequivalent nitrogen positions are observed in solid 3-hydroxypyridine, whereas only one nitrogen position has been observed in 2-pyridone and 4-pyridone within the experimental resolution. Rather low (14)N quadrupole coupling constants in pyridones are the consequence of the delocalization of the nitrogen lone pair electrons in the aromatic rings. Two different compounds have been obtained by crystallization of 4-pyridone from ethanol in a normal and in a dry atmosphere. The compound obtained in the dry atmosphere is identical to the commercial sample. The compound obtained in the normal atmosphere cannot be converted to the commercial polymorph by melting. It is thus not a polymorph of anhydrous 4-pyridone. The temperature coefficient of the (14)N quadrupole coupling constant is negative in 3-hydroxypyridine and positive in 2- and 4-pyridone. Therefore, in 3-hydroxypyridine, molecular librations dominate the temperature variation of the quadrupole coupling constant, whereas in 2- and 4-pyridone, the changes in the hydrogen bonding interactions with temperature seem to give the dominant effect.

Phase transition and ring-puckering motion in a metal-organic perovskite [(CH2)3NH2][Zn(HCOO)3].

Phase transitions in a metal-organic perovskite with an azetidinium cation, which exhibits giant polarizability, were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements. The DSC results indicated successive phase transitions at 254 and 299 K. The temperature dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation time T(1) determined by NMR indicated that the activation energy for cation ring-puckering motion was 25 kJ mol(-1) in phase I (T > 299 K). The potential energy at the transition state of puckering is expected to decrease when the potential for the motion becomes asymmetric with decreasing temperature in phases II and III. A possible mechanism for the onset of an extraordinarily large dielectric anomaly is discussed.

Nuclear quadrupole resonance characterization of carbamazepine cocrystals.

Nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) is used as a method for the characterization of cocrystals and crystal polymorphs. (14)N NQR spectra of several cocrystals of carbamazepine have been measured together with the (14)N NQR spectra of cocrystal formers. The results show that the (14)N NQR spectrum of a cocrystal and the (14)N NQR spectra of cocrystal formers differ well outside the experimental resolution. It is further described how the NQDR techniques, that have been used to measure the (14)N NQR frequencies, can be used to check the homogeneity of a polycrystalline sample and to monitor the stability of a metastable crystal polymorph.

Electron configuration and hydrogen-bonding pattern in several thymine and uracil analogues studied by 1H-14N NQDR and DFT/QTAIM.

Some thio- and aza-derivatives of natural nucleobases uracil and thymine: 2-thiouracil, 4-thiouracil, 6-methyl-2-thiouracil, 6-azauracil, and 6-aza-2-thiothymine have been studied experimentally in solid state by (1)H-(14)N NMR-NQR double resonance (NQDR) and theoretically by the Density Functional Theory (DFT)/Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM). The (14)N resonance frequencies have been measured at 173 and 295 K and assigned to particular nitrogen sites (-N═ and -NH-). The temperature factor has been found negligible. The changes in the molecular skeletons, electric charge distribution, intermolecular interactions pattern, and molecular aggregations caused by oxygen replacement with sulfur and carbon replacement with nitrogen are discussed in detail. Correlations between all the principal components of the (14)N quadrupole coupling tensor have been found helpful in the search for the experimental (14)N NQR frequencies, their assignment to a particular nitrogen positions and estimation of the strength of the inter- and intramolecular interactions. The variation in the NQR parameters have been mainly related to the variation in the population of π-electron orbital. For thiouracil derivatives a general trend is that the stronger the hydrogen bond is, the lower is the asymmetry parameter, while for thymine and 6-aza-2-thiotymine, the opposite relation holds. Differences in correlations of the principal components of the (14)N quadrupole coupling tensor at the amino and iminonitrogen positions in heterocyclic rings are discussed. The effect of C→H and C→N substitution at the amino nitrogen position and C→N substitution at the iminonitrogen position on the quadrupole coupling tensor is analyzed. This study also demonstrates the advantages of combining NQR and DFT/QTAIM to predict an unsolved crystalline structure of 4-thiouracil.

Unusual electron charge density in carboxylic acid. 17O quadrupole coupling in cis-cyclobutane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid.

The (17)O NQR frequencies have been measured in cis-cyclobutane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid and the quadrupole coupling tensors have been determined at various temperatures. Two O···H oxygen positions and two O-H oxygen positions are observed, showing the presence of two different types of O-H···O hydrogen bonds in the unit cell. The quadrupole coupling constants at the O-H oxygen positions are approximately 30% lower than the lowest quadrupole coupling constants experimentally observed at the C-O-H positions in other carboxylic acids with either ordered or disordered hydrogen bonds. The O-H distances have been calculated from the (17)O-(1)H dipole-dipole interaction at the O-H oxygen positions. The obtained values are longer than the O-H distances usually found in O-H···O hydrogen bonds with comparable O···O distance, in agreement with the proposed proton exchange O-H···O ↔ O···H-O, which partially averages the dipole-dipole interaction. The energy difference of the two proton configurations, O-H···O and O···H-O, is calculated from the O-H distances determined by NQR. The temperature dependence of the (17)O quadrupole coupling tensors at the (17)O···H-O oxygen positions is analyzed in the model of proton exchange and the energy differences of the two proton configurations obtained by this analysis agree with the values obtained from the O-H distances. The quadrupole coupling tensors are analyzed in a model based on the Townes and Dailey model. The model shows that the population of an oxygen lone pair orbital is at this oxygen position reduced from 2 to approximately 1.3. The electron electric charge is most probably transferred to the oxygen σ and π electron orbitals. This may be associated with the structure of the cyclobutane ring, where the X-ray data show the presence of two unusually short C-C bonds.