The molecular conformation of clonidine hydrochloride,an α-adrenergic agonist

The molecular conformation of the antihypertensive drug clonidine hydrochloride [2-(2,6-dichlorophenylimino)-2-imidazole HCl] has been shown by crystallographic studies to have a nearly perpendicular arrangement of the phenyl and imidazole rings as described by the torsion angles C₂-C₁-N₁-C₂= 76 ° and C₁-N₁-C₂-N₁ = 0 °. This conformation is not either of those suggested as the minimum energy form by CNDO/2 calculations for the protonated or free-base models. However, it is consistent with a nonplanar model proposed as the active conformer based on QSAR and spectral studies. The bonding about the imidazole carbon is similar to the guanidinium ion and the three C₂-N distances of the planar imidazole ring are nearly equal. The chloride ion forms strong hydrogen bonds with the amine hydrogen (2.3 Å) and the imidazole (N₁,) hydrogen (2.4 Å). Comparison with -adrenergic agonists shows that this conformation of clonidine fits the proposed pharmacophore model and should compete effectively for the -adrenergic receptors.Presented in part at the American Crystallographic Association Meeting, Clemson, South Carolina, January 1976.