Stable Conformation (stable + conformation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Chemistry


Selected Abstracts


Stable conformations of 12-crown-O3N and its Li+ complex in aqueous solution

JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY, Issue 13 2002
Kenzi Hori
Abstract Stable conformations of 12-crown-O3N and its Li complexes in aqueous solution were investigated. To calculate the free energy differences of conformers of 12-crown-O3N and its Li+ complex, our procedure was to make use of two programs, CONFLEX and BOSS. The former generates conformers, and the latter calculates the differences in free energy of solvation between two conformers in aqueous solution. It was confirmed that the present procedure is applicable in solving the question of what is the most stable conformation of 12-crown-O3N in aqueous solution. Results of the calculations suggest that the order of stability for conformers in a vacuum is different from that in aqueous solution. It was also confirmed that the coordination geometry of solvent waters to Li+ changes depending on the distance between the cation and the crown ring. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 23: 1226,1235, 2002 [source]


One-Pot Synthesis of Core-Modified Rubyrin, Octaphyrin, and Dodecaphyrin: Characterization and Nonlinear Optical Properties

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 27 2007
Rajeev Kumar
Abstract Modified 26, rubyrin, 36, octaphyrin, and 54, dodecaphyrin systems have been synthesized in moderately good yields through acid-catalyzed condensations of terthiophene diols and tripyrranes. The product distributions are decided both by the acid catalyst concentration and by the nature of the meso substituents. For example, a new isomer of [26]hexaphyrin(1.1.1.1.0.0) (rubyrin) was obtained with 0.3 equiv. of p -toluenesulfonic acid, when the meso substituent was mesityl in at least one of the precursors. A change of the mesityl substituent for a p -methoxy substituent in terthiophene diol resulted in the formation of a [3,+,3,+,3,+,3] condensation product , [54]dodecaphyrin(1.1.1.1.0.0.1.1.1.1.0.0) , in addition to the expected rubyrin. Furthermore, an increase in the acid concentration to 0.6 equiv. resulted in the formation of a new [36]octaphyrin(1.1.1.1.1.1.0.0), in addition to the rubyrin and dodecaphyrin. A single-crystal X-ray analysis of octaphyrin represents the first example of a planar conformation of an octaphyrin with six meso links. In rubyrin 19, one thiophene ring, opposite to the terthiophene subunit, is inverted, while in octaphyrin 30 one pyrrole ring and two thiophene rings are inverted. The various conformational possibilities tested for the unsubstituted dodecaphyrin 28, at semiempirical level, suggest that the most stable conformation is a figure-eight. The final geometry optimization of figure-eight dodecaphyrin was done at the B3LYP/6-31G* level of DFT. Octaphyrins and dodecaphyrins bind trifluoroacetate anion effectively in their diprotonated forms, the binding constants (K) being 638 M,1 for dodecaphyrin 28, and 415 M,1 for octaphyrin 30. Electrochemical data reveal HOMO destabilization with increasing , electron conjugation, consistently with the large red shifts of the absorption bands. Preliminary studies on the use of these expanded porphyrins as third-order NLO materials were followed by measurements of their two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-sections [,(2)]. The ,(2) values increase upon going from the 26, rubyrins to the 54, dodecaphyrins, confirming our earlier observation that increases in ,-conjugated electrons increase the TPA values.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007) [source]


Stereoselective Chemoenzymatic Preparation of ,-Amino Esters: Molecular Modelling Considerations in Lipase-Mediated Processes and Application to the Synthesis of (S)-Dapoxetine

ADVANCED SYNTHESIS & CATALYSIS (PREVIOUSLY: JOURNAL FUER PRAKTISCHE CHEMIE), Issue 2-3 2010
María Rodríguez-Mata
Abstract A wide range of optically active 3-amino-3-arylpropanoic acid derivatives have been prepared by means of a stereoselective chemoenzymatic route. The key step is the kinetic resolution of the corresponding ,-amino esters. Although the enzymatic acylations of the amino group with ethyl methoxyacetate showed synthetically useful enantioselectivities, the hydrolyses of the ester group catalyzed by lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia have been identified as the optimal processes concerning both activity and enantioselectivity. The enantiopreference of this lipase in these reactions has been explained, at the molecular level, by using a fragment-based approach in which the most favoured binding site for a phenyl ring and the most stable conformation of the 3-aminopropanoate core nicely match the (S)-configuration of the major products. The conversion and enantioselectivity values of the enzymatic reactions have been compared in order to understand the influence of the different substitution patterns present in the phenyl ring. This chemoenzymatic route has been successfully applied to the preparation of a valuable intermediate in the synthesis of (S)-dapoxetine, which has been chemically synthesised in excellent optical purity. [source]


Stable conformations of 12-crown-O3N and its Li+ complex in aqueous solution

JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY, Issue 13 2002
Kenzi Hori
Abstract Stable conformations of 12-crown-O3N and its Li complexes in aqueous solution were investigated. To calculate the free energy differences of conformers of 12-crown-O3N and its Li+ complex, our procedure was to make use of two programs, CONFLEX and BOSS. The former generates conformers, and the latter calculates the differences in free energy of solvation between two conformers in aqueous solution. It was confirmed that the present procedure is applicable in solving the question of what is the most stable conformation of 12-crown-O3N in aqueous solution. Results of the calculations suggest that the order of stability for conformers in a vacuum is different from that in aqueous solution. It was also confirmed that the coordination geometry of solvent waters to Li+ changes depending on the distance between the cation and the crown ring. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 23: 1226,1235, 2002 [source]


Experimental and theoretical structural study of 2-pyridyl- and 4-hydroxyphenyl-1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives

JOURNAL OF HETEROCYCLIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 6 2000
Héctor Novoa De Armas
A series of substituted 1,4-dihydropyridines (1,4-DHPs) has been synthesised following the well-known Hantzsch's procedure for symmetrical 1,4-DHP. The structures of these compounds have been thoroughly studied by X-ray crystallographic analysis and semiempirical (AMI) calculations. A good agreement is found between the theoretical and experimental results. In all cases, the most stable conformation fulfils all the requirements needed for exhibiting an antagonist calcium effect. [source]


A DFT/TD-DFT study for the ground and excited states of peramine and some pyrrolopyrazinone compounds

JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 11 2009
Andrzej
Abstract Peramine, a heterocyclic natural molecule, reveals two main, different in nature, electronic absorption bands. Theoretical calculations at the TD-B3LYP/6,311++G(d,p) level of theory show that the electronic excitations are connected predominantly with ,,,,,* and charge-transfer (CT) transitions. Excitation of electrons from the pyrrolopyrazinone ring to the side chain plays a role in creating the CT transition. The character and energy of the first 30 singlet,singlet electronic transitions have also been investigated for the most stable conformation of peramine. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Binding of platelet glycoprotein Ib, through the convex surface of leucine-rich repeats domain of glycoprotein IX

JOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS, Issue 9 2009
X. MO
Summary.,Background: The mechanism of assembly of the platelet glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX complex from GPIb,, GPIb, and GPIX subunits is not entirely clear. In this complex, ectodomains of both GPIb, and GPIX subunits contain two leucine-rich repeats (LRR) and share high sequence similarity. However, they differ noticeably in stability, hampering further analysis of their interaction. Objectives and methods: Guided by analysis of the LRR structure, we report a well-folded Ib,/IX chimera and its usage in dissecting GPIX function. Results: In this chimera, three non-contiguous sequences that may constitute the putative convex surface of the GPIb, ectodomain are replaced by their GPIX counterparts. Like GPIb, but unlike GPIX ectodomain, it can secrete from transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells and fold into a stable conformation. Furthermore, replacing the ectodomain in GPIX with the Ib,/IX chimera, but not the GPIb, ectodomain, preserved its interaction with GPIb, as demonstrated by its native-like GPIb,-induced increase in surface expression and coimmunoprecipitation. Conclusions: The putative convex surface of the LRR domain in GPIX is sufficient, in the context of full-length subunit, to mediate its association with GPIb,. [source]


The use of MPA amide for the assignment of absolute configuration of a sterically hindered cyclic secondary amine by ,mix and shake' NMR method

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IN CHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2008
Jinhai Gao
Abstract We present here a new method using methoxyphenylacetic acid (MPA) as the chiral derivatizing agent (CDA) for the assignment of absolute configuration of cyclic secondary amines. The MPA amides were prepared using the purification-free ,mix and shake' method. A detailed conformational analysis for the two diastereomeric amides was conducted by 2D NMR experiments and molecular mechanics calculations. We have established that, in the most stable conformation of each syn rotamer of MPA amides, the H-, in the MPA moiety is oriented toward the bulky substituent group at the asymmetric carbon in the chiral amine, presumably to avoid steric and/or electrostatic interactions. The observed NMR data were correlated with the conformational model to allow unambiguous assignment of absolute configuration of secondary amines. The results demonstrate that the MPA can be used as a useful CDA in the case of sterically crowded cyclic secondary amines from which the MTPA amides are usually difficult to make. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Conformational Analysis of R207910, a New Drug Candidate for the Treatment of Tuberculosis, by a Combined NMR and Molecular Modeling Approach

CHEMICAL BIOLOGY & DRUG DESIGN, Issue 2 2006
Sandrine Gaurrand
R207910 is an enantiomeric compound from a new class of antimycobacterial agents, the diarylquinolines [Science; 307:223 (2005)]. As enantiospecific interaction is required for biologic activity, we have undertaken a combined nuclear magnetic resonance and molecular modeling study to gain new insights into its conformation in solution and its absolute configuration. A conformational analysis using a Monte-Carlo method has been performed on each of the four possible stereomers of this compound leading to the identification of their most stable conformation. Additional ab initio calculation was performed with emphasis on the strength of the observed intramolecular hydrogen bond. Simultaneously, a complete structural identification has been carried out by a set of monodimensional and bidimensional 1H- 13C-NMR experiments. Determination of inter-proton distances has been achieved by a series of 1H- 1H ROESY NMR experiments with different mixing times followed by a volume quantification of the correlations peaks. These experimental data were compared with the theoretical distances obtained from the conformational analysis. The remarkable match shows that R207910 adopts one of the low-energy conformations predicted by molecular modeling and belongs to the (RS, SR) couple of diastereoisomers. A posteriori validation of our approach has been performed by X-ray structure determination that concluded for the RS configuration. [source]


Highly Conjugated p -Quinonoid ,-Extended Tetrathiafulvalene Derivatives: A Class of Highly Distorted Electron Donors

CHEMISTRY - A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, Issue 8 2004
Marta C. Díaz
Abstract A new class of ,-extended TTF-type electron donors (11,a,c) has been synthesized by Wittig,Horner olefination of bianthrone (9) with 1,3-dithiole phosphonate esters (10,a,c). In cyclic voltammetry experiments, donors 11,a,c reveal a single, electrochemically irreversible oxidation,yielding the corresponding dicationic products,at relatively low oxidation potentials (,0.7,0.8 V). Theoretical calculations, performed at the DFT level (B3,P86/6-31,G*), predict a highly-folded C2h structure for 11,a. In the ground state, the molecule adopts a double saddle-like conformation to compensate the steric hindrance. The calculations suggest that the intramolecular charge transfer associated with the HOMO,LUMO transition is responsible for an absorption band observed above 400 nm. While the radical cation 11,a.+ retains the folded C2h structure predicted for the neutral molecule as the most stable conformation, the dication 11,a2+ has a fully aromatic D2 structure, formed by an orthogonal 9,9,-bianthryl central unit to which two singly-charged dithiole rings are attached. The drastic conformational changes that compounds 11 undergo upon oxidation account for their electrochemical properties. By means of pulse radiolysis measurements, radical-induced one-electron oxidation of 11,a,c was shown to lead to the radical cation species (11,a,c.+), which were found to disproportionate with generation of the respective dication species (11,a,c2+) and the neutral molecules (11,a,c). Una nueva familia de moléculas dadoras de electrones de tipo TTF , -extendido, altamente conjugadas, (11,a,c) se han sintetizado mediante la reacción de olefinación de Wittig,Horner de la biantrona (9) con fosfonatos de 1,3-ditiol (10,a,c). En los experimentos de voltamperometría cíclica, los dadores 11,a,c muestran una única onda de oxidación electroquímicamente irreversible,dando lugar a los productos dicatiónicos,a potenciales relativamente bajos (,0.7,0.8 V). Cálculos teóricos, llevados a cabo a nivel DFT (B3,P86/6-31,G*), predicen una estructuraC2haltamente distorsionada para 11,a. La molécula adopta una conformación en forma de doble mariposa para aliviar el impedimento estérico. Los cálculos sugieren que la transferencia de carga intramolecular asociada a la transición HOMO,LUMO es responsable de la banda de absorción observada por encima de 400 nm en el espectro electrónico. El catión radical 11,a.+retiene la estructura C2hplegada predicha para la molécula neutra como la conformación más estable. Por el contrario, el dicatión 11,a2+muestra una estructuraD2totalmente aromática,formada por una unidad central de 9,9,-biantrilo ortogonal, unida a los anillos cargados de ditiol. Los profundos cambios conformacionales que experimentan los compuestos 11 tras la oxidación explican sus propiedades electroquímicas. Medidas de radiólisis de pulso, esto es, la oxidación monoelectrónica de 11,a,c inducida por radicales, conduce a las especies catión radical (11,a,c.+), las cuales dismutan para generar las respectivas especies dicatiónicas (11,a,c2+) y la molécula neutra (11,a,c). [source]


Origin of the ,-Facial Stereoselectivity in the Addition of Nucleophilic Reagents to Chiral Aliphatic Ketones as Evidenced by High-Level Ab,Initio Molecular-Orbital Calculations

CHEMISTRY - AN ASIAN JOURNAL, Issue 6 2006
Osamu Takahashi Dr.
Abstract Ab,initio molecular-orbital (MO) calculations were carried out, at the MP2/6-311++G(d,p)//MP2/6-31G(d) level, to investigate the conformational Gibbs energy of alkyl 1-cyclohexylethyl ketones, cyclo- C6H11CHCH3COR (R=Me, Et, iPr, and tBu). In each case, one of the equatorial conformations was shown to be the most stable. Conformers with the axial CHCH3COR group were also shown to be present in an appreciable concentration. Short CH,,,CO and CH,,,OC distances were found in each stable conformation. The result was interpreted on the grounds of CH,,,,(CO) and CH,,,O hydrogen bonds, which stabilize the geometry of the molecule. The ratio of the diastereomeric secondary alcohols produced in the nucleophilic addition to cyclo- C6H11CHCH3COR was estimated on the basis of the conformer distribution. The calculated result was consistent with the experimental data previously reported: the gradual increase in the product ratio (major/minor) along the series was followed by a drop at R=tBu. The energy of the diastereomeric transition states in the addition of LiH to cyclo- C6H11CHCH3COR was also calculated for R=Me and tBu. The product ratio did not differ significantly in going from R=Me to tBu in the case of the aliphatic ketones. This is compatible with the above result calculated on the basis of the conformer distribution. Thus, the mechanism of the ,-facial selection can be explained in terms of the simple premise that the geometry of the transition state resembles the ground-state conformation of the substrates and that the nucleophilic reagent approaches from the less-hindered side of the carbonyl , face. [source]


Six-membered cyclic sulfites derived from glucofuranose and 1,2,4-butanetriol,

CHIRALITY, Issue 9 2001
Katarzyna Borsuk
Abstract Six-membered cyclic sulfites derived from glucofuranose derivatives 5, 6 and from 1- O-tert -butyldimethylsilil-1,2,4-butanetriol 12 were synthesized and separated into pure diastereomers which were in turn subjected to the sequence of reactions leading to the introduction of the terminal vinyl ether fragment. Reactivity and applicability of cyclic sulfites as intermediates in [2+2]cycloaddition of chlorosulfonyl isocyanate (CSI) to vinyl ethers were studied. The cycloaddition to vinyl ethers 19 and 20 proceeded in low yield and low asymmetric induction, in the case of the former, and moderate yield and pronounced asymmetric induction, in the case of the latter. The 1H-NMR spectra of sulfites 13,16 reveal a preference of the sulfite oxygen atom for the axial position. Thus, well-defined conformation in solution for compounds 13 and 15 and a mixture of the two possible chair forms for sulfites 14 and 16 could be assigned. The stretching frequency of the S,O bond in stable conformation with an axial sulfite oxygen occurs in the range 1,160,1,210 cm,1, whereas conformationally mobile sulfites exhibit corresponding absorption above 1,220 cm,1. The absolute configuration assignments of sulfites 7, 8, 15, 16 and 25,28 were done empirically based on the combined analysis of the NMR, IR, X-ray, and dichroic data. It was demonstrated that the sign of the Cotton effect around 194 nm correlated with the absolute stereochemistry at the sulfur atom in a sulfite chromophore. Chirality 13:533,540, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. 2001. [source]


N -substituted bis(tetrazol-5-yl)diazenes: Synthesis, spectra, X-ray molecular and crystal structures, and quantum-chemical DFT calculations

HETEROATOM CHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2010
Tatiyana V. Serebryanskaya
N -Substituted bis(tetrazol-5-yl)diazenes (substituents are 1-CH3 (3a), 1-Ph (3b), 2-CH3 (3c), and 2- tBu (3d)) were synthesized by oxidative coupling of corresponding 5-aminotetrazoles. All compounds were characterized with 1H and 13C NMR, IR- and UV-spectroscopy, and thermal analysis. Crystal and molecular structures of bis(1-phenyltetra- zol-5-yl)diazene (3b) and bis(2- tert -butyltetrazol-5-yl)diazene (3d) were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Molecules of these compounds are trans-isomers in solid. According to X-Ray data, 3b molecule is S-trans-S-trans conformer, however 3d is S-cis-S-cis one. Quantum-chemical investigation of geometry and relative stability of cis- and trans-isomers and stable conformations of compounds 3a,d was carried out. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 21:24,35, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.20574 [source]


A Photodissociation Reaction: Experimental and Computational Study of 2-Hydroxy-2,2-dimethylacetophenone,

PHOTOCHEMISTRY & PHOTOBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2006
X. Allonas
ABSTRACT The photophysical parameters controlling the cleavage process of 2-hydroxy-2,2-dimethylacetophenone (HDMA) were investigated in detail. Time-resolved picosecond absorption experiments show that the formation of the triplet state occurs within 20 ps after excitation and decays within hundreds of picoseconds depending on the solvent polarity. Molecular modeling reveals that three stable conformations exist in the ground state, the most stable one exhibiting an intramolecular hydrogen bond that modifies the electronic properties of the molecule. This explains quite well the steady-state absorption properties. The conformation of the most stable triplet state is twisted by 180° with respect to the ground state. Computation of the potential energy surface along the molecular coordinate for the dissociation reaction evidences an electronic state crossing yielding a final ,,* state, in perfect agreement with the state correlation diagram. Optimization of the transition state allows the calculation of the activation energy and the use of the transition-state theory leads to an estimate of 100 ps for the cleavage process in the gas phase. Single-point energy calculations using a solvent model predict an increase of the dissociation rate constant with the increase of the solvent polarity, in good agreement with the value deduced from kinetic measurements. [source]


Breaking symmetry in protein dimers: Designs and functions

PROTEIN SCIENCE, Issue 1 2006
Jerry H. Brown
Abstract Symmetry, and in particular point group symmetry, is generally the rule for the global arrangement between subunits in homodimeric and other oligomeric proteins. The structures of fragments of tropomyosin and bovine fibrinogen are recently published examples, however, of asymmetric interactions between chemically identical chains. Their departures from strict twofold symmetry are based on simple and generalizable chemical designs, but were not anticipated prior to their structure determinations. The current review aims to improve our understanding of the structural principles and functional consequences of asymmetric interactions in proteins. Here, a survey of >100 diverse homodimers has focused on the structures immediately adjacent to the twofold axis. Five regular frameworks in ,-helical coiled coils and antiparallel ,-sheets accommodate many of the twofold symmetric axes. On the basis of these frameworks, certain sequence motifs can break symmetry in geometrically defined manners. In antiparallel ,-sheets, these asymmetries include register slips between strands of repeating residues and the adoption of different side-chain rotamers to avoid steric clashes of bulky residues. In parallel coiled coils, an axial stagger between the ,-helices is produced by clusters of core alanines. Such simple designs lead to a basic understanding of the functions of diverse proteins. These functions include regulation of muscle contraction by tropomyosin, blood clot formation by fibrin, half-of-site reactivity of caspase-9, and adaptive protein recognition in the matrix metalloproteinase MMP9. Moreover, asymmetry between chemically identical subunits, by producing multiple equally stable conformations, leads to unique dynamic and self-assembly properties. [source]


Single crystal structure and molecular dynamics analysis of a myo -inositol derivative

ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION B, Issue 4 2000
Jan Dillen
The crystal structure of 5- O - tert -butyldimethylsilyl-3,4- O -carbonyl-1,2- O -cyclohexylidene-2-oxo-3-oxa-4-bornanylcarbonyl- d - myo -inositol has been studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction at both room temperature and 173,K. At room temperature, the tert -butyldimethylsilyl group exhibits dynamical disorder. A molecular dynamics simulation was used to model the disorder and this indicates that the group librates between two stable conformations in the crystal. Approximate relative energies of the different forms and energy barriers for the transition were obtained by empirical force field methods. Calculations of the thermal motion of the atoms are in good qualitative, but fair to poor quantitative agreement with the X-­ray data. [source]


Characterization of Multiple Stable Conformers of the EC5 Domain of E-cadherin and the Interaction of EC5 with E-cadherin Peptides

CHEMICAL BIOLOGY & DRUG DESIGN, Issue 6 2009
Kai Zheng
The objectives of this work were to express the EC5 domain of E-cadherin and determine its structural characteristics as well as to evaluate the binding properties of HAV and BLG4 peptides to EC5 using spectroscopic methods. Homophilic interactions of E-cadherins are responsible for cell,cell adhesion in the adherens junctions of the biological barriers (i.e. intestinal mucosa and blood,brain barriers). The EC5 domain of E-cadherin has an important role in T-cell adhesion to intestinal mucosa via ,E,7 integrin,E-cadherin interactions. In this study, the expressed EC5 has a high thermal stability (Tm = 64.3 °C); it also has two stable conformations at room temperature, which convert to one conformation at approximately 54.5 °C. NMR and FTIR showed that HAV and BLG4 peptides bind to EC5. HSQC-NMR showed that either Asn or Gln of EC5 was involved in the interactions with HAV and BLG4 peptides. EC5 underwent a conformational change upon interaction with the HAV and BLG4 peptides. Finally, the binding properties of both peptides were modeled by docking experiments, and the results suggest that Asn-46 and Asn-75 of EC5 could be involved during the interaction with the peptides and that the Ser and Trp residues of the HAV and BLG4 peptides, respectively, were important for binding to EC5. [source]


Ab initio prediction of optical rotation: Comparison of density functional theory and Hartree-Fock methods for three 2,7,8-trioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes

CHIRALITY, Issue 4 2002
P.J. Stephens
Abstract We report ab initio calculations of the frequency-dependent electric dipole-magnetic dipole polarizabilities, ,(,), at the sodium D line frequency and, thence, of the specific rotations, [,]D, of 2,7,8-trioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane, 1, and its 1-methyl derivative, 2, using the Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Hartree-Fock/Self-Consistent Field (HF/SCF) methodologies. Gauge-invariant (including) atomic orbitals (GIAOs) are used to ensure origin-independent [,]D values. Using large basis sets which include diffuse functions DFT [,]D values are in good agreement with experimental values (175.8° and 139.2° for (1S,5R)- 1 and - 2, respectively); errors are in the range 25,35°. HF/SCF [,]D values, in contrast, are much less accurate; errors are in the range 75,95°. The use of small basis sets which do not include diffuse functions substantially lowers the accuracy of predicted [,]D values, as does the use of the static limit approximation: ,(,) , ,(o). The use of magnetic-field-independent atomic orbitals, FIAOs, instead of GIAOs, leads to origin-dependent, and therefore nonphysical, [,]D values. We also report DFT calculations of [,]D for the 1-phenyl derivative of 1, 3. DFT calculations find two stable conformations, differing in the orientation of the phenyl group, of very similar energy, and separated by low barriers. Values of [,]D predicted using two different algorithms for averaging over phenyl group orientations are in good agreement with experiment. In principle, the absolute configuration (AC) of a chiral molecule can be assigned by comparison of the optical rotation predicted ab initio to the experimental value. Our results demonstrate the critical importance of the choice of ab initio methodology in obtaining reliable optical rotations and, hence, ACs, and show that, at the present time, DFT constitutes the method of choice. Chirality 14:288,296, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]