Conformation and tautomerism of the cimetidine molecule: a theoretical study

The cimetidine molecule conformation and tautomer stability was studied at the ab initio HF/6-31G** level and for single point energies at the MP2/6-31G** level. The most stable N3-H cimetidine tautomer was found to be more stable than the most stable N1-H tautomer by ca. 3.7 and 5.0 kcal/mol, at the HF/6-31G** and MP2/6-31G**//HF/6-31G** level, respectively. At the HF/6-31G** level, the most stable N3-H and 1-H forms are stabilized by the intramolecular N3′-H?N1 hydrogen bond and N1-H?N4′, respectively. However, when the correlation effects are included at the MP2/6-31G**//HF/6-31G** level, the most stable N3-H and N1-H tautomers appeared to be folded forms without hydrogen bonds.     

A density functional theory study on pelargonidin

A complete conformational analysis on the isolated and polarizable continuum model (PCM) modeled aqueous solution cation, quinonoidal, and anion forms of pelargonidin, comprising the diverse tautomers of the latter forms, was carried out at the B3LYP/6-31++G(d,p) level. The results indicate that the most stable conformer of cationic and quinonoidal forms of pelargonidin are completely planar in the gas phase, whereas that of the anionic form is not planar. In contrast, PCM calculations show that the plane of the B ring is slightly rotated with regard to the AC bicycle in the most stable conformer of the cation and quinonoidal form. The most stable conformers of the cation, both in gas phase and aqueous solution, display anti and syn orientations for, respectively, C2-C3-O-H and C6-C5-O-H dihedral angles, whereas syn and anti orientation of hydroxyls at 7 and 4' positions are nearly isoenergetic. The most stable tautomer of quinonoidal pelargonidin is obtained by deprotonating hydroxyl at C5 in gas phase but at C7 according to PCM. Also, the most stable tautomer of the anion is different in gas phase (hydrogens are abstracted from hydroxyls at C5 and C4') and PCM simulation (C3 and C5). Tautomeric equilibria affect substantially the geometries of the AC-B backbone providing bond length variations that basically agree with the predictions of the resonance model. Most of the conformers obtained display an intramolecular hydrogen bond between O3 and H6'. Nevertheless, this interaction is not present in the most stable anions. Ionization potentials and O-H bond dissociation energies computed for the most stable conformers of cation, quinonoidal, and anion forms are consistent with an important antioxidant activity.     

2-(2-巯苯基)苯并噁唑分子内质子转移的理论研究

在B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)水平上研究了2-(2-巯苯基)苯并噁唑气态中五种异构体(E1, E2, E3, E4和K)在气态中的稳定性及其在基态下的质子转移, 同时结合极化连续介质模型(PCM)研究了水、二甲亚砜、乙腈、乙醇、苯胺和环己烷等对2-(2-巯苯基)苯并噁唑溶剂化作用的影响. 研究结果表明, 醇式异构体E1为2-(2-巯苯基)苯并噁唑的优势构型; 在E1向K(酮式异构体)转变过程中, 存在一个较小的能垒; 当考虑零点振动能(ZPVE)后, 逆向能垒消失. 在溶液中, 随着溶剂极性的增强, 醇式异构体E1与K之间的反应平衡向K方向移动, 在非极性溶剂环己烷中, E1为优势构型, 而在强极性水溶液中, K为优势构型.     

Tautomeric and conformational equilibrium of 2-nitrosophenol and 9,10-phenanthrenequinonemonooxime: ab initio and NMR study

The tautomeric and conformational equilibrium of 2-nitrosophenol and 9,10-phenanthrenequinonemonooxime was studied by ab initio methods. The geometry optimizations of the structures investigated were done without any geometrical restrictions at HF/6-31G** and MP2/6-31G** levels of theory. The transition structures for tautomeric and rotameric conversions were located. To correct for electron correlation, single-point calculations were carried out up to MP4/6-311G*//MP2/6-31G* level of theory.

Ab initio calculations for 2-nitrosophenol in agreement with the available experimental data define the nitroso form as more stable. It was found that the influence of the correlation energy on the relative stabilities is smaller for the rotamers of the nitroso tautomer but substantially (4–6 kcal/mol) for the oxime forms. It was found that the barrier height of tautomerization reaction is 10.24 kcal/mol.

The structure of the 9,10-phenanthrenequinonemonooxime was studied by solid and liquid state NMR spectroscopy. Ab initio calculations in agreement with our experimental data predict that the compound exists as oxime tautomer and the syn-oxime is most stable. It was found that the solvent influence on the relative stabilities of both isomers: syn- and anti-oxime. While in chloroform solution the syn-oxime is preferred but in DMSO anti-oxime is more stable in energy.

At the MP4/6-311G*//MP2/6-31G**+ZPE level of theory the barrier of tautomerization was predicted to be 10.96 kcal/mol and the rotational barrier around the single C–O bond in the syn-oxime was found to be 7.57 kcal/mol. The rotation is facile and this explains the absence of nitroso tautomers in solution.     

Photochemical syn-anti isomerization reactions in N2-hydroxyisocytosines--an experimental matrix isolation and theoretical study

N2-hydroxyisocytosine and 1-methyl-N2-hydroxyisocytosine were studied using a matrix isolation technique combined with infrared absorption spectroscopy. For N2-hydroxyisocytosine isolated in an Ar matrix (at 10 K), two imino-oxo isomers, one with the hydroxyimino =N-OH group directed toward the N1-H group (the form called further anti) and the second with the =N-OH group directed toward N3-H (syn), were observed in the ratio 1.4:1. The syn isomer is converted totally to the anti form after UV (lambda > 295 nm) irradiation of the matrix. A small amount of the N(3)H-hydroxy-amino tautomer of N2-hydroxyisocytosine was also detected in the matrix. This form did not react photochemically. For 1-methyl-N2-hydroxyisocytosine, only the syn form of the imino-oxo tautomer was observed after deposition of the matrix. UV (lambda > 295 nm) irradiation induced a photoreaction converting this isomer into the anti form. After 15% of the starting material had been converted into the product, a photostationary state was achieved, and no further progress of the reaction was observed. Subsequent UV irradiation (lambda > 335 nm) caused a back reaction, leading to a disappearance of the anti form and to the recovery of the initial syn isomer. All isomers were identified by comparing their experimental IR spectra with the spectra theoretically calculated at the DFT(B3LYP)/6-31G(d,p) level, where DFT is the density functional theory. Good agreement between the observed and predicted patterns of the spectral lines allowed for reliable identification. The experimental IR spectra were interpreted and discussed. The relative energies of the 12 isomers of N2-hydroxyisocytosine were calculated at the MP2/6-31G(d,p) and MP4//MP2/6-31G(d,p) levels. For six isomers of 1-methyl-N2-hydroxyisocytosine, the calculations were carried out at the MP2/6-31G(d,p) level. The anti form of the imino-oxo tautomer of N-hydroxyisocytosine and the syn form of the imino-oxo tautomer of 1-methyl-N2-hydroxyisocytosine were predicted to be the most stable.     

尿酸分子互变异构体平面构象的理论研究

使用半经验量子化学中的AM1方法、从头计算Hartree-Fock理论(在3-21G*水平)和密度泛函理论中的B3LYP方法(使用6-31G(d)基组),研究了尿酸分子的所有35种互变异构体。计算结果表明,三羰基互变异构体是所有异构体中能量最低的,其次为单羟基异构体和双羟基异构体,而含有三羟基的互变异构体相对能量最高。随着羟基数的增加, C-N键的平均键长从1.395逐渐缩短到1.351,而CC键的平均键长基本保持不变(1.400~1.406)。     

Extending the acidity ladder of neutral organic superacids—a DFT-B3LYP study of deprotonation of nonacyanofluorene

It was shown by a carefully selected B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d) model that nonacyanofluorene and its most stable prototropic tautomer represent very powerful neutral organic acids both in the gas phase and in DMSO.     

Density functional study of the conformations and intramolecular proton transfer in thiohydroxamic acids

The conformational preferences of thiohydroxamic acids (N-hydroxythioamides) are investigated by the density functional B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd)//B3LYP/6-31G(d) method in this work. Unlike hydroxamic acids, the thione and thiol forms are found to be equally stable in the gas phase, and the reaction pathways for the interconversion between the thione and thiol forms have been deduced to involve rotation about the C[double bond, length as m-dash]N bond of the thiol tautomer in the rate-determining step. The effect of aqueous solvation on the reactions has also been investigated. It is found that inclusion of a few explicit water molecules in an implicit solvent calculation is necessary in order to accurately account for hydrogen bonding effects. Thiohydroxamic acids, like their hydroxamic acid analogues, are found to be N-acids, both in the gas phase and in aqueous solution.     

Tautomerism and infrared spectra of 2-thiopurine: an experimental matrix isolation and theoretical ab initio and density functional theory study

Infrared spectra of 2-thiopurine (2-mercaptopurine, 2-purinethiol ) isolated in low-temperature Ar and N2 matrixes are reported. These spectra indicate that the compound adopts exclusively the thiol N9H tautomeric form. The theoretical calculations of relative energies of 2-thiopurine tautomers have been carried out at the MP4(SDTQ)//HF level using the 6-31G(d,p) basis set. The thiol N9H tautomer was predicted to be the most stable of all isomers of 2-thiopurine. The infrared spectra of the tautomers of 2-thiopurine have been calculated at the DFT(B3LYP)/6-31G(d,p) level. Good agreement between the experimental spectra and the spectra calculated for thiol N9H tautomer supported the identification of the dominant tautomer. It has also allowed for the reliable assignment of the bands observed in the experimental IR spectrum.     

Tautomer selective photochemistry in 1-(tetrazol-5-yl)ethanol

A combined matrix isolation FTIR and theoretical DFT/B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) study of the molecular structure and photochemistry of 1-(tetrazol-5-yl)ethanol [1-TE] was performed. The potential energy surface landscapes of the 1H and 2H tautomers of the compound were investigated and the theoretical results were used to help characterize the conformational mixture existing in equilibrium in the gas phase prior to deposition of the matrices, as well as the conformers trapped in the latter. In the gas phase, at room temperature, the compound exists as a mixture of 12 conformers (five of the 1H tautomer and seven of the 2H tautomer). Upon deposition of the compound in an argon matrix at 10 K, only three main forms survive, because the low barriers for conformational isomerization allow extensive conformational cooling during deposition. Deposition of the matrix at 30 K led to further simplification of the conformational mixture with only one conformer of each tautomer of 1-TE surviving. These conformers correspond to the most stable forms of each tautomer, which bear different types of intramolecular H-bonds: 1H-I has an NH···O hydrogen bond, whereas 2H-I has an OH···N hydrogen bond. Upon irradiating with UV light (λ > 200 nm), a matrix containing both 1H-I and 2H-I forms, an unprecedented tautomer selective photochemistry was observed, with the 2H tautomeric form undergoing unimolecular decomposition to azide + hydroxypropanenitrile and the 1H-tautomer being photostable.     

A thermochemistry and kinetic study on the thermal decomposition of ethoxyquinoline and ethoxyisoquinoline

Quantum chemical calculations were used to study the production of ethylene and keto/enol tautomers from ethoxyquinoline (2‐EQ) and ethoxyisoquinoline (1‐EisoQ and 3‐EisoQ) in the gas phase and ethanol at the MP2/6‐311++G(2d,2p)//BMK/6‐31+G(d,p) level. The obtained data indicate that the elimination of ethylene from 1‐EisoQ and 2‐EQ is slightly more favorable than from 3‐EisoQ. Formation of quinolone and isoquinolone (2‐EQO, 1‐EisoQO, and 3‐EisoQO) is kinetically favored compared to their enols. Decomposition of 2‐EQ and 1‐EisoQ to ethylene and keto forms is thermodynamically and kinetically preferable more stable than the corresponding enols. However, the hydroxy form of 3‐EisoQ is more stable than its keto tautomer in the gas phase and ethanol. The enol tautomers cost less energy when formed from their keto forms rather than from the parent ethoxyquinolone and ethoxyisoquinoline.     

Infrared and Raman spectra,DFT investigation of the tautomerism,conformational equilibrium,structure and vibrational assignment of 1-(2-benzothiazolyl)-3-methyl pyrazol-5-one

The low energy conformations of the three tautomers, imine-enol, enamine-keto and imine-keto forms of the title compound have been determined at the B3LYP/6-31 + G(d) level of theory using the relaxed PES scan method and their geometries have been refined at B3LYP/6-311 + G(d,p) and PBE0/6-311 + G(d,p) levels. The results show that the title compound exists in the imine-enol tautomeric form, in contrast to the enamine-keto form which exists in the solid crystalline state, followed by enamine-keto and imine-keto forms with extremely low abundances. The geometry parameters of all tautomeric forms calculated at PBE0/6-311 + G(d,p) and B3LYP/6-311 + G(d,p) levels have been compared with those from the experimental X-ray diffraction. The vibrational (FT-IR and Raman) spectroscopic studies of the most stable tautomer, enamine-keto form have been carried out. The assignment of the fundamental bands observed in the IR and Raman spectra have been facilitated by the SQM force field procedure. The frequencies from SQM procedure have a very good fit to the experimental ones. The total root-mean-square error is only ca. 11 cm⁻¹.     

Molecular structure and antioxidant properties of delphinidin

Density functional theory calculations were performed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of delphinidin, taking into account its acid/base equilibrium. The conformational behavior of both the isolated and the aqueous solvation species (simulated with the polarizable continuum model) were analyzed at the B3LYP/6-31++G(d,p) level, considering the cationic, neutral, and anionic forms, the latter two forms consisting of diverse tautomers. The analysis of their electron density distributions, using the quantum theory of atoms in molecules, reveals several facts that are not in line with their usual Lewis structures. The prototropic preferences observed in the gas phase and in solution are similar. Thus, in both phases, most stable tautomer of neutral delphinidin is obtained by deprotonating the hydroxyl at C4', and the most stable tautomer of the anion is obtained by deprotonating the hydroxyls at C4' and C5. All the planar conformers obtained display an intramolecular hydrogen bond (IHB) between O3 and H6'. Furthermore, the most stable tautomers of the neutral and anionic forms display two IHBs between O4' and H3' and H5'. To obtain ionization potentials (IPs) and homolytic O-H bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEs), the corresponding radical species were optimized at the UB3LYP level. Heterolytic O-H bond dissociation enthalpies (proton dissociation enthalpies, PDEs) were also computed. The expected important antioxidant activity can be justified from these results. IP, O-H BDE, and O-H PDE values suggest that one-step H atom transfer rather than sequential proton loss-electron transfer or electron transfer-proton transfer would be the most favored mechanisms for explaining the antioxidant activity of delphinidin in nonpolar solvents as well as in aqueous solution.     

Infrared and Raman spectra, conformational stability, ab initio calculations and vibrational assignments for trans-3-chloropropenoyl chloride

The infrared (3500-30 cm(-1)) spectra of gaseous and solid and the Raman (3500-200 cm(-1)) spectra of the liquid with quantitative depolarization ratios and solid trans-3-chloropropenoyl chloride (trans-ClCHCHCClO) have been recorded. These data indicate that both the anti (carbonyl bond trans to the carbon-carbon double bond) and syn conformers are present in the fluid states but only the anti conformer is present in the crystalline state. The mid-infrared spectra of the sample dissolved in liquid xenon as a function of temperature (-55 to -100 degrees C) have been recorded. Utilizing conformer pairs at 870 and 725 cm(-1), 1215 and 1029 cm(-1), and 1215 and 1228 cm(-1), the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 136+/-5 cm(-1) (389+/-14 cal mol(-1)) with the anti conformer the more stable form. Optimized geometries and conformational stabilities were obtained from ab initio calculations at the levels of RHF/6-31G(d), MP2/6-31G(d), MP2/6-311 + + G(d,p), MP2/6-311 + + G(2d,2p) and MP2/6-311 + + G(2df,2pd) with only the latter two calculations predicting the anti rotamer to be the more stable form. The vibrational frequencies, harmonic force constants and infrared intensities were obtained from the MP2/6-31G(d) calculations, whereas the Raman activities and depolarization values were obtained from the RHF/6-31G(d) calculations. The spectra are interpreted in detail and the results are compared with those obtained for some related molecules.     

Tautomerism and Regioselectivity of the Protonation of 2-Pyrrolidone. Stereoselectivity of Complexation between Palladium(II), Chloride Ion,and 2-Pyrrolidone

According to the AM1, PM3, HF/6-31G(d,p), and MP2/6-31G(d,p)//HF/6-31G(d,p) calculations, it is the lactam tautomer of 2-pyrrolidone that is thermodynamically most stable in both the gas phase and an aqueous solution. Analysis of the PM3 data with consideration of the medium showed that the tautomeric equilibrium of 2-pyrrolidone (pyrroline-2-ol) in aqueous solution is shifted to the lactim form, which thus can be involved in complexation with palladium(II). 2-Pyrrolidone was found to be protonated at the O atom in both the gas phase and aqueous solution, in agreement with the concept of the mesomeric displacement of the electron density in the amide fragment. The aqueous medium stabilizes the lactim tautomer of 2-pyrrolidone more strongly than the lactam tautomer and the O-protonated cyclic amide than the N-protonated one. The stereoselectivity of complexation between palladium(II), chloride ion, and pyrroline-2-ol was explained. The initially formed tetragonal-pyramidal adduct with an axial organic ligand undergoes rearrangement into an intermediate with an extra axial Cl atom, which is a precursor of the cis-product. The thermodynamically less stable cis-isomer of the complex [PdCl₂(pyrrolin-2-ol)₂] is formed from the thermodynamically most favorable intermediate in associative nucleophilic substitution. At the supramolecular level, the cis-product can be stabilized by intermolecular dipole-dipole association in the crystal.__________Translated from Koordinatsionnaya Khimiya, Vol. 31, No. 7, 2005, pp. 523–529.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Pankratov, Borodulin, Chaplygina.     

Oxo-hydroxy tautomerism of 5-fluorouracil: water-assisted proton transfer

Post-Hartree-Fock ab initio quantum chemical calculations were performed for 5-fluorouracil in the gas phase and in a three-water cluster. Full geometry optimizations of the 5-fluorouracil-water complexes were carried out at the MP2/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory. MP4/6-31+G(d,p)//MP2/6-31+G(d,p) and MP4/6-31++G(d,p)//MP2/6-31+G(d,p) single-point calculations were performed to obtain more accurate energies. In water solution, 5-fluorouracil exists mainly in the 2,4-dioxo form (A). We propose that the populations of the 2-hydroxy-4-oxo (B) and 4-hydroxy-2-oxo (D) tautomers are 1 x 10(-4)% and 3.9 x 10(-8)%, respectively, on the basis of the relative stabilities of the tautomers calculated at the MP4/6-31++G(d,p)//MP2/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory. A profound difference between isolated and hydrated 5-fluorouracil is noted for the height of the tautomerization barrier. In the absence of water, the process of proton transfer is very slow. The addition of water molecules decreases the barrier by 2.3 times, making the process much faster. The minimum energy path (MP2/6-31+G(d,p)) for water-assisted proton transfer in trihydrated 5-fluorouracil was followed. CNDO/S-CI calculations predict singlet pi-pi(*) electron transitions at 312 nm for B and at 318 nm for D. The fluorescence spectrum of 5-fluorouracil in water confirms the presence of the hydroxy tautomer.     

Structure and conformational stability of CH2CHCH2X (X=F, Cl and Br) molecules—post Hartree–Fock and density functional theory methods

The molecular structure and conformational stability of CH₂CHCH₂X (X=F, Cl and Br) molecules were studied using ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) methods. The molecular geometries of 3-fluoropropene were optimized employing BLYP and B3LYP levels of theory of DFT method implementing 6-311+G(d,p) basis set. The MP2/6-31G^*, BLYP and B3LYP levels of theory of ab initio and DFT methods were used to optimize the 3-chloropropene and 3-bromopropene molecules. The structural and physical parameters of the molecules are discussed with the available experimental values. The rotational potential energy surface of the above molecules were obtained at MP2/6-31G^* and B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) levels of theory. The Fourier decomposition of the rotational potentials were analyzed. The HF/6-31G^* and MP2/6-31G^* levels of theory have predicted the cis conformer as the minimum energy structure for 3-fluoropropene, which is in agreement with the experimental values, whereas the BLYP/6-311+G(d,p) and B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) levels of theory reverses the order of conformation. The ΔE values calculated for 3-chloropropene at MP2/6-31G^*, BLYP/6-311+G(d,p) and B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) levels of theory show that the gauche form is more stable than the cis form, which is in agreement with the experimental value. The same levels of theory have also predicted that the gauche form is stable than cis for 3-bromopropene molecule. The maximum hardness principle has been able to predict the stable conformer of 3-fluoropropene at HF/6-31G^* level of theory, but the same level of theory reverses the conformational stability of 3-chloropropene and 3-bromopropene molecules and MP2/6-31G^* level of theory predicted the stable conformer correctly.     

A quantum chemical study of conformational and tautomeric preferences, intramolecular hydrogen bonding and π-electron delocalization on dinitrosomethane; in gas phase and water solution

HF, B3LYP, and MP2 methods with the standard basis set, 6-311++G(d,p), were employed to study various aspects of dinitrosomethane (DNM). These results are compared with the outcomes of G2, G2MP2, G3, and CBS-QB3 methods. In the present study, we first characterized the equilibrium conformations, especially global minima. In general, the nitroso-oxime (NO) tautomers of DNM are stabler than the dioxime and dinitroso ones. Furthermore, it was found that the stablest form of NO tautomer is global minima among the known local minima. Surprisingly, the chelated form of NO tautomer, with O–H···O intramolecular hydrogen bond (IMHB), is less stable than the global minimum. In spite of this instability, we comprehensively studied various aspects of IMHB to evaluate the effect of heteroatom’s (N). The results of open–close and related rotamer models predict that the heteroatoms weaken the hydrogen bond, whereas, the geometric, topologic, and natural bond orbital parameters emphasize on opposite conclusion. The HOMA of aromaticity aromaticity index clearly predicts that the π-electron delocalization of chelated form of NO tautomer is greater than the malonaldehyde. Finally, the solvent effects on the properties of DNM tautomers have been estimated by continuum (PCM, IPCM, and SCIPCM), discrete, and mixed models. Theoretical results clearly show that the potential energy surface of DNM, especially global minima, is strongly affected by the solvent.     

Diketoacid HIV-1 integrase inhibitors: An ab initio study

The stable tautomeric forms of two representative arene-substituted diketoacid HIV-1 integrase inhibitors, 5-ClTEP and L-731,988, were investigated by B3LYP with 6-31G*, 6-31G(d,p), and 6-31+G(d,p) basis sets. Optimization with MP2/6-31G* was also performed for 5-ClTEP. The solvation effect was considered using a conductor-like screening model. With the density functional theory method, the trans diketo conformations are more stable than the cis conformers. The difference is 14 kJ mol(-1) for 5-ClTEP and 33 kJ mol(-1) for L-731,988. Two trans diketo structures were obtained. The difference between these two trans diketo structures is less than 4 kJ mol(-1) calculated at the B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p) level. Two enol forms prevail over the diketo tautomers and are calculated to have the same free energy. Because there is no barrier observed between these two enol forms, they can interchange easily such that a delocalized transition state is suggested to be the observed form. Contradictory to the results of the MP2 method that predicts a preference for the trans diketo forms, the B3LYP method predicts a preference for the enol tautomers, which is in agreement with the experimental results.     

Effect of cooperative hydrogen bonding in azo-hydrazone tautomerism of azo dyes

Azo-hydrazone tautomerism in azo dyes has been modeled by using density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory. The most stable tautomer was determined both for model compounds and for azo dyes Acid Orange 7 and Solvent Yellow 14. The effects of the sulfonate group substitution and the replacement of the phenyl group with naphthyl on the tautomer stability and on the behavior in solvent have been discussed. Intramolecular hydrogen bond energies have been estimated for the azo and hydrazone tautomers to derive a relationship between the tautomer stability and the hydrogen bond strength. The transition structures for proton transfer displayed resonance assisted strong hydrogen bonding properties within the framework of the electrostatic-covalent hydrogen bond model (ECHBM). Evolution of the intramolecular hydrogen bond with changing structural and environmental factors during the tautomeric conversion process has been studied extensively by means of the atoms-in-molecules (AIM) analysis of the electron density. The bulk solvent effect was examined using the self-consistent reaction field model. Special solute-solvent interactions were further investigated by means of quantum mechanical calculations after defining the first-solvation shell by molecular dynamics simulations. The effect of cooperative hydrogen bonding with solvent molecules on the tautomer stability has been discussed.