Anharmonic Thermal Motion Modelling in the Experimental XRD Charge Density Determination of 1-Methyluracil at T = 23 K

The experimental electron density distribution (EDD) of 1-methyluracil (1-MUR) was obtained by single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) experiments at 23 K. Four different structural models fitting an extensive set of XRD data to a resolution of (sinθ/λ)<sub>max</sub> = 1.143 Å<sup>−...

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Main Authors: Riccardo Destro, Pietro Roversi, Mario Barzaghi, Leonardo Lo Presti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
Series:Molecules
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/11/3075
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author Riccardo Destro
Pietro Roversi
Mario Barzaghi
Leonardo Lo Presti
author_facet Riccardo Destro
Pietro Roversi
Mario Barzaghi
Leonardo Lo Presti
author_sort Riccardo Destro
collection DOAJ
description The experimental electron density distribution (EDD) of 1-methyluracil (1-MUR) was obtained by single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) experiments at 23 K. Four different structural models fitting an extensive set of XRD data to a resolution of (sinθ/λ)<sub>max</sub> = 1.143 Å<sup>−1</sup> are compared. Two of the models include anharmonic temperature factors, whose inclusion is supported by the Hamilton test at a 99.95% level of confidence. Positive Fourier residuals up to 0.5 eÅ<sup>–3</sup> in magnitude were found close to the methyl group and in the region of hydrogen bonds. Residual density analysis (RDA) and molecular dynamics simulations in the solid-state demonstrate that these residuals can be likely attributed to unresolved disorder, possibly dynamical and long–range in nature. Atomic volumes and charges, molecular moments up to hexadecapoles, as well as maps of the molecular electrostatic potential were obtained from distributed multipole analysis of the EDD. The derived electrostatic properties neither depend on the details of the multipole model, nor are significantly affected by the explicit inclusion of anharmonicity in the least–squares model. The distribution of atomic charges in 1-MUR is not affected by the crystal environment in a significant way. The quality of experimental findings is discussed in light of in-crystal and gas-phase quantum simulations.
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spelling doaj.art-c810344835684afd901bd77ba83013f92023-11-21T20:44:12ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492021-05-012611307510.3390/molecules26113075Anharmonic Thermal Motion Modelling in the Experimental XRD Charge Density Determination of 1-Methyluracil at T = 23 KRiccardo Destro0Pietro Roversi1Mario Barzaghi2Leonardo Lo Presti3Chemistry Department, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milano, ItalyDepartment of Molecular and Cell Biology, Leicester Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology, University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 7HB, UKConsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Piazzale Aldo Moro 7, 00185 Roma, ItalyChemistry Department, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milano, ItalyThe experimental electron density distribution (EDD) of 1-methyluracil (1-MUR) was obtained by single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) experiments at 23 K. Four different structural models fitting an extensive set of XRD data to a resolution of (sinθ/λ)<sub>max</sub> = 1.143 Å<sup>−1</sup> are compared. Two of the models include anharmonic temperature factors, whose inclusion is supported by the Hamilton test at a 99.95% level of confidence. Positive Fourier residuals up to 0.5 eÅ<sup>–3</sup> in magnitude were found close to the methyl group and in the region of hydrogen bonds. Residual density analysis (RDA) and molecular dynamics simulations in the solid-state demonstrate that these residuals can be likely attributed to unresolved disorder, possibly dynamical and long–range in nature. Atomic volumes and charges, molecular moments up to hexadecapoles, as well as maps of the molecular electrostatic potential were obtained from distributed multipole analysis of the EDD. The derived electrostatic properties neither depend on the details of the multipole model, nor are significantly affected by the explicit inclusion of anharmonicity in the least–squares model. The distribution of atomic charges in 1-MUR is not affected by the crystal environment in a significant way. The quality of experimental findings is discussed in light of in-crystal and gas-phase quantum simulations.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/11/30751-methyluracilX-ray diffractioncharge densityelectrostatic momentsquantum theory of atoms in moleculesanharmonicity
spellingShingle Riccardo Destro
Pietro Roversi
Mario Barzaghi
Leonardo Lo Presti
Anharmonic Thermal Motion Modelling in the Experimental XRD Charge Density Determination of 1-Methyluracil at T = 23 K
Molecules
1-methyluracil
X-ray diffraction
charge density
electrostatic moments
quantum theory of atoms in molecules
anharmonicity
title Anharmonic Thermal Motion Modelling in the Experimental XRD Charge Density Determination of 1-Methyluracil at T = 23 K
title_full Anharmonic Thermal Motion Modelling in the Experimental XRD Charge Density Determination of 1-Methyluracil at T = 23 K
title_fullStr Anharmonic Thermal Motion Modelling in the Experimental XRD Charge Density Determination of 1-Methyluracil at T = 23 K
title_full_unstemmed Anharmonic Thermal Motion Modelling in the Experimental XRD Charge Density Determination of 1-Methyluracil at T = 23 K
title_short Anharmonic Thermal Motion Modelling in the Experimental XRD Charge Density Determination of 1-Methyluracil at T = 23 K
title_sort anharmonic thermal motion modelling in the experimental xrd charge density determination of 1 methyluracil at t 23 k
topic 1-methyluracil
X-ray diffraction
charge density
electrostatic moments
quantum theory of atoms in molecules
anharmonicity
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/11/3075
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