103-111A comparative semiempirical study of
tautomerism in alloxan is performed with a view to understand the areas of applicability
and limitations of the three methods, MNDO, AM1 and PM3. The results are also
compared with an ab initio study. It is found that the MNDO method
overestimates the stability of lactim forms, while AM1 method seems to
underestimate their stabilities. All
methods indicate that the tetraketo form is the most stable, followed by the
monohydroxy forms. While the PM3 method seems to give the best results
regarding relative stabilities of tautomers, it fails in reproducing experimental
geometries and charge distributions and in explaining the chemical and
biological reactivity of alloxan. The
calculated MNDO and AM1 charge densities
agree with the results of an ab initio study and with experimental
estimates, and are thus able to explain the absence of hydrogen bonding in the
crystal structure of alloxan. Nucleophilic attack by water at 5-position leads to
a significant increase in the stabilities of the tetraketo and 2-hydroxy forms.
Thus, due to the
absence of hydrogen bonding interactions
in the crystal structure of alloxan, the MNDO geometries are in closest
agreement with experiment, and the charge densities are also consistent with
experimentally estimated ones