Synthesis of anticonvulsant sulfamides. Theoretical study of the related mechanism

A theoretical study of the mechanisms associated with the synthesis of anticonvulsant symmetric N,N-substituted sulfamides is presented. Two possible synthetic routes are compared, which mainly differ in the use of pyridine as a nucleophilic agent in the reaction mechanism. Geometry optimization techniques and transition-state detection at the B3LYP/6-31G** level, modeling the solvent by means of an isodensity polarizable continuum approach, allow the most suitable method for the experimental process to be discerned.From the Proceedings of the 28th Congreso de Químicos Teóricos de Expresión Latina (QUITEL 2002)     

Theoretical approach to the pharmacophoric pattern of GABAB analogs

In order to determine the structural requirements that are important for GABA_B binding affinity, a quantum-chemical-based conformational study has been performed, followed by a similarity analysis which includes 12 GABA_B analogs. Due to the flexibility of the structures, a semigrid GABA_B analog [2RS-(5,5-dimethyl) morpholinyl-acetic acid] has been used as a template for the amonium moiety in order to help to identify the active conformation. Both in vacuo, and solvent-simulated calculations, for the physiological media modeled as water molecules, have been compared, for this analog, at ab initio (G94, 6-31+G(d,p)) and semiempirical (PM3) levels, respectively. On the basis of this comparison, the results of in vacuo PM3 calculations have been chosen for the similarity analysis. We have included, in the calculations, a group of molecules heterogeneous enough to become representative of the different families that can bind to the GABA_B receptor site. Following their comparison we report the leading characteristics that can be related to their binding capability and define a pharmacophoric pattern for GABA_B analogs. The latter is compared with the one previously found for the binding affinity at the GABA_A receptor site. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 70: 1195–1208, 1998     

On the origin of the lack of anticonvulsant activity of some valpromide derivatives

Two closely related N-substituted valpromide derivatives: N-valproyl glycinamide and N-valproyl glycine are comparatively analyzed, the first of which is antiepileptic active whereas the second is not. The study is based on a conformational analysis using an AM1 Hamiltonian that not only search for the lower energy structures of each derivative but also for the energy involved in their mutual interconversion. Open structures have been compared with cyclic ones, the latter including those stabilized by either inter or intra molecular hydrogen bonds (dimers and monomers, respectively). H-bond formation has been also evaluated by means of ab initio G94(6–31+G(d,p)) calculations for a smaller system (N-formylglycine/glycinamide) modeling both vacuum and solvent conditions. The conformational and electronic characteristics of the open and cyclic monomers, as well as of the dimer N-valproyl glycinamide and N-valproyl glycine structures are discussed. On the basis of the results of their comparative analysis, we have redefined the pharmacophore previously proposed for N-substituted valpromides [Tasso, Bruno-Blanch, Estiu, Int. J. Quant. Chem. 65 (6), 1107 (1997)], relaxing some of the associated requirements. The corrected model requires one carbon atom or any bioisosteric substituent in an anticlinal conformation relative to the aminic nitrogen of the amide moiety, in addition to one hydrogen atom that should be antiperiplanar to the carbonyl oxygen. This model offers an explanation to the different response of N-valproyl glycinamide and N-valproyl glycine against convulsion, which is based on conformational restrictions. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 70: 1127–1136, 1998