Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER 1
Computations of Noncovalent
p
Interactions
C. David Sherrill
Center for Computational Molecular Science and Technology,
School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and College of
Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
INTRODUCTION
Noncovalent interactions govern such processes as protein folding,
supramolecular assembly, crystal packing of organics, and drug binding. After
hydrogen bonding and strong electrostatic interactions (e.g., charge-charge,
charge-dipole, and dipole-dipole), the most significant noncovalent interactions
in biological applications are probably those involving aromatic
systems.
1
For
p
example,
interactions between aromatic rings help stabilize the double helix
of DNA and RNA.
2
Protein structures are influenced by a variety of noncovalent
interactions including
p
-
p
interactions
6-8
between side
chains. Drugs that intercalate between base pairs in DNA and RNA are bound
largely due to
,
3,4
C-H/
,
5
p
-
p
p
and S/
p
interactions.
9
Proteins that bind DNA or RNA
utilize such noncovalent interactions as cation-
p
-
p
and cation-
p
,
10,11
,
11
.
12
p
p
-
p
and C-H/
p
These
interactions can be equally critical in materials chemistry applications,
including self-assembled supramolecular architectures.
13,14
For example, mole-
cular wires can be formed from stacks of aromatic macrocycles.
15
The binding of
small molecules to carbon nanotubes
16
and attraction between graphene sheets
17
are both determined by noncovalent
p
p
interactions. The crystal structure and
charge-transport properties of
p
-conjugated organic materials are also largely
interactions.
18
determined by
p
-
p
