The role of water in host-guest interaction

One of the main applications of atomistic computer simulations is the calculation of ligand binding energies. The accuracy of these calculations depends on the force field quality and on the thoroughness of configuration sampling. Sampling is an obstacle in modern simulations due to the frequent appearance of kinetic bottlenecks in the free energy landscape. Very often this difficulty is circumvented by enhanced sampling techniques. Typically, these techniques depend on the introduction of appropriate collective variables that are meant to capture the system's degrees of freedom. In ligand binding, water has long been known to play a key role, but its complex behaviour has proven difficult to fully capture. In this paper we combine machine learning with physical intuition to build a non-local and highly efficient water-describing collective variable. We use it to study a set of of host-guest systems from the SAMPL5 challenge. We obtain highly accurate binding energies and good agreement with experiments. The role of water during the binding process is then analysed in some detail

Evaluation of log P, pKa, and log D predictions from the SAMPL7 blind challenge

The Statistical Assessment of Modeling of Proteins and Ligands (SAMPL) challenges focuses the computational modeling community on areas in need of improvement for rational drug design. The SAMPL7 physical property challenge dealt with prediction of octanol-water partition coefficients and pKa for 22 compounds. The dataset was composed of a series of N-acylsulfonamides and related bioisosteres. 17 research groups participated in the log P challenge, submitting 33 blind submissions total. For the pKa challenge, 7 different groups participated, submitting 9 blind submissions in total. Overall, the accuracy of octanol-water log P predictions in the SAMPL7 challenge was lower than octanol-water log P predictions in SAMPL6, likely due to a more diverse dataset. Compared to the SAMPL6 pKa challenge, accuracy remains unchanged in SAMPL7. Interestingly, here, though macroscopic pKa values were often predicted with reasonable accuracy, there was dramatically more disagreement among participants as to which microscopic transitions produced these values (with methods often disagreeing even as to the sign of the free energy change associated with certain transitions), indicating far more work needs to be done on pKa prediction methods

Energy-entropy prediction of octanol–water logP of SAMPL7 N-acyl sulfonamide bioisosters

From Springer Nature via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2021-03-04, accepted 2021-06-17, registration 2021-06-18, pub-print 2021-07, pub-electronic 2021-07-10, online 2021-07-10Publication status: PublishedFunder: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000266; Grant(s): EP/L015218/1, EP/N025105/1Abstract: Partition coefficients quantify a molecule’s distribution between two immiscible liquid phases. While there are many methods to compute them, there is not yet a method based on the free energy of each system in terms of energy and entropy, where entropy depends on the probability distribution of all quantum states of the system. Here we test a method in this class called Energy Entropy Multiscale Cell Correlation (EE-MCC) for the calculation of octanol–water logP values for 22 N-acyl sulfonamides in the SAMPL7 Physical Properties Challenge (Statistical Assessment of the Modelling of Proteins and Ligands). EE-MCC logP values have a mean error of 1.8 logP units versus experiment and a standard error of the mean of 1.0 logP units for three separate calculations. These errors are primarily due to getting sufficiently converged energies to give accurate differences of large numbers, particularly for the large-molecule solvent octanol. However, this is also an issue for entropy, and approximations in the force field and MCC theory also contribute to the error. Unique to MCC is that it explains the entropy contributions over all the degrees of freedom of all molecules in the system. A gain in orientational entropy of water is the main favourable entropic contribution, supported by small gains in solute vibrational and orientational entropy but offset by unfavourable changes in the orientational entropy of octanol, the vibrational entropy of both solvents, and the positional and conformational entropy of the solute

How Water's Properties Are Encoded in Its Molecular Structure and Energies.

How are water's material properties encoded within the structure of the water molecule? This is pertinent to understanding Earth's living systems, its materials, its geochemistry and geophysics, and a broad spectrum of its industrial chemistry. Water has distinctive liquid and solid properties: It is highly cohesive. It has volumetric anomalies-water's solid (ice) floats on its liquid; pressure can melt the solid rather than freezing the liquid; heating can shrink the liquid. It has more solid phases than other materials. Its supercooled liquid has divergent thermodynamic response functions. Its glassy state is neither fragile nor strong. Its component ions-hydroxide and protons-diffuse much faster than other ions. Aqueous solvation of ions or oils entails large entropies and heat capacities. We review how these properties are encoded within water's molecular structure and energies, as understood from theories, simulations, and experiments. Like simpler liquids, water molecules are nearly spherical and interact with each other through van der Waals forces. Unlike simpler liquids, water's orientation-dependent hydrogen bonding leads to open tetrahedral cage-like structuring that contributes to its remarkable volumetric and thermal properties

Prediction of partition coefficients for systems of micelles using DFT

[eng] A compound’s solvent−water partition coefficient (log P) measures the equilibrium ratio of the compound’s concentrations in a two-phase system: as two solvents in contact or a system of micelles in an aqueous solution. In this thesis, the partition coefficient of three groups of small compounds (alcohol, ether, and hydrocarbons) in 10 different solvents (benzene, cyclohexane, hexane, n-Octane, toluene, carbon tetrachloride, heptane, trichloroethane, and octanol) was computed used DFT and B3LYP method with 6.31G(d), 6.311+G** and 6.311++G** basis sets. It is obtained that the partition coefficient of alcohol solutes in various solvents using the 6.31G(d) basis set indicates a satisfactory correlation with experimental values. The correlation between the experimental value and the partition coefficient of ether solutes in different solvents using the 6.311++G** basis set shows high agreement. The experimental data displayed a high correlation with the partition coefficient computed for hydrocarbon compounds in various solvents using all three basis sets: 6.31G(d), 6.311+G**, and 6.311++G**. In addition, we have studied the correlation of the experimental partition coefficients in Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS), Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB), Sodium cholate (SC), and Lithium perfluoro octane sulfonate (LPFOS) micelles with ab initio calculated partition coefficients in 15 different organic solvents. Specifically, the partition coefficients of a series of 63 molecules in an aqueous system of SDS, SC, HTAB, and LPFOS micelles are correlated with the partition coefficient in heptane/water, cyclohexane/water, n-dodecane/water, pyridine/water, acetic acid/water, octanol/water, acetone/water, 1-propanol/water, 2-propanol/water, methanol/water, formic acid/water, diethyl sulfide/water, decan-1-ol/water, 1-2 ethane diol/water and dimethyl sulfoxide/water systems. All calculations were performed using the Gaussian 16 Quantum Chemistry package. Molecular structures were generated in the more extended conformation using Avogadro, and geometries of all molecules were optimized using Density Functional Theory (DFT) B3LYP and MO6-2X with 6-31++G** basis set by the continuum solvation model based on density (SMD). The obtained results show that calculated partition coefficients in the alcohol/water mixture give the best correlation to predict the experimental partition coefficients in SDS, SC, and LPFOS micelles. With respect to HTAB micelle systems, a new selection of molecules is created, excluding those containing N atoms and Urea atom groups. Interestingly, the partition coefficient of these chosen molecules exhibits a strong correlation with the experimental partition coefficient. Finally, the partition coefficient of flexible molecules was studied by the same protocol for two solvent combinations, octanol/water and cyclohexane/water. The calculated values were compared with the experimental partition coefficients. The average partition coefficient in octanol solvent exhibited a high correlation with the experimental data. However, for the 16 compounds in the cyclohexane solvent, their partition coefficients do not exhibit significant agreement with the experimental partition coefficients.[cat] S'ha desenvolupat una metodologia computacional per calcular el coeficient de partició de diferents tipus de molècules en sistemes micel·lars. En primer lloc, s'ha calculat el coeficient de partició de tres grups de compostos (alcohol, èter i hidrocarburs) utilitzant el mètode DFT amb el funcional B3LYP. S'han obtingut correlacions satisfactòries amb els valors experimentals. En aquesta tesi s'ha desenvolupat un procediment per calcular els coeficients de partició experimentals en micel·les de dodecilsulfat de sodi (SDS), bromur d'hexadeciltrimetilamoni (HTAB), colat de sodi (SC) i perfluorooctanosulfonat de liti (LPFOS). Específicament, els coeficients de partició d'una sèrie de 63 molècules en un sistema aquós de micel·les de SDS, SC, HTAB i LPFOS es correlacionen amb el coeficient de partició en deu barreges aquoses. Els resultats obtinguts mostren que els coeficients de partició calculats a la barreja alcohol/aigua donen la millor correlació per predir els coeficients de partició experimentals en micel·les SDS, SC i LPFOS. Pel que fa als sistemes micelars HTAB, es crea una nova selecció de molècules, excloent-ne aquelles que contenen àtoms de N aromàtics i grups d'urea. És interessant notar que el coeficient de partició d'aquestes molècules triades mostra una forta correlació amb el coeficient de partició experimental. Finalment, es va estudiar el coeficient de partició de molècules flexibles mitjançant el mateix protocol per a dues combinacions de dissolvents, octanol/aigua i ciclohexà/aigua. Els valors calculats es van comparar amb els coeficients de partició experimentals. El coeficient de partició mitjana en dissolvent octanol va mostrar una alta correlació amb les dades experimentals. Tot i això, per als 16 compostos en el dissolvent ciclohexà, els seus coeficients de partició no mostren una concordança significativa amb els coeficients de partició experimental

On the diffusion of ketoprofen and ibuprofen in water: An experimental and theoretical approach

In view of its importance for the development of dispersion and distribution models in the environment and also for the design of removal methods from wastewaters, the mobility and solute-solvent interaction in aqueous solutions of two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ketoprofen and ibuprofen) were studied by measuring mutual diffusion coefficients of each pharmaceutical in water at infinitesimal concentration as a function of temperature, using the Taylor dispersion method. Intra-diffusion coefficients of the same solutes in water at the same temperature range were also calculated by Molecular Dynamics simulations. The analysis of the simulation trajectories allowed the study of the structure of the solvent molecules around the solute and their mutual interaction, which was also addressed by quantum mechanical (DFT) calculations. Ibuprofen presents a higher mutual diffusion coefficient in water than ketoprofen and molecular dynamics simulations are able to predict the experimental values for two solutes. Besides the solute molecular weight and molecular dimensions, the diffusion coefficients of these two pharmaceuticals are influenced by the solute-solvent interactions, which seem to be stronger in the case of ketoprofen. The solvation free energy obtained via DFT calculations confirms that hypothesis

Modeling Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Guest Encapsulation into the [ML] 12- Supramolecular Organometallic Cage

Altres ajuts: Acord transformatiu CRUE-CSICThe encapsulation of molecular guests into supramolecular hosts is a complex molecular recognition process in which the guest displaces the solvent from the host cavity, while the host deforms to let the guest in. An atomistic description of the association would provide valuable insights on the physicochemical properties that guide it. This understanding may be used to design novel host assemblies with improved properties (i.e., affinities) toward a given class of guests. Molecular simulations may be conveniently used to model the association processes. It is thus of interest to establish efficient protocols to trace the encapsulation process and to predict the associated magnitudes Δ G and Δ G ⧧. Here, we report the calculation of the Gibbs energy barrier and Gibbs binding energy by means of explicit solvent molecular simulations for the [GaL] 12- metallocage encapsulating a series of cationic molecules. The Δ G ⧧ for encapsulation was estimated by means of umbrella sampling simulations. The steps involved were identified, including ion-pair formation and naphthalene rotation (from L ligands of the metallocage) during the guest's entrance. The Δ G values were computed using the attach-pull-release method. The results reveal the sensitivity of the estimates on the force field parameters, in particular on atomic charges, showing that higher accuracy is obtained when charges are derived from implicit solvent quantum chemical calculations. Correlation analysis identified some indicators for the binding affinity trends. All computed magnitudes are in very good agreement with experimental observations. This work provides, on one side, a benchmarked way to computationally model a highly charged metallocage encapsulation process. This includes a nonstandard parameterization and charge derivation procedure. On the other hand, it gives specific mechanistic information on the binding processes of [GaL] 12- at the molecular level where key motions are depicted. Taken together, the study provides an interesting option for the future design of metal-organic cages

Can approximate integral equation theories accurately predict solvation thermodynamics?

The thesis focuses on the prediction of solvation thermodynamics using integral equation theories. Our main goal is to improve the approach using a rational correction. We achieve it by extending recently introduced pressure correction, and rationalizing it in the context of solvation entropy. The improved model (to which we refer as advanced pressure correction) is rather universal. It can accurately predict solvation free energies in water at both ambient and non-ambient temperatures, is capable of addressing ionic solutes and salt solutions, and can be extended to non-aqueous systems. The developed approach can be used to model processes in biological systems, as well as to extend related theoretical models further.Comment: Author's Ph.D. thesis (University of Strathclyde, 2016). Supervisors: Maxim V. Fedorov and David S. Palme