Premium
Binding Site Switch by Dispersion Interactions: Rotational Signatures of Fenchone–Phenol and Fenchone–Benzene Complexes
Author(s) -
Burevschi Ecaterina,
Alonso Elena R.,
Sanz M. Eugenia
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.202001713
Subject(s) - hydrogen bond , chemistry , benzene , molecule , non covalent interactions , molecular recognition , computational chemistry , dispersion (optics) , organic chemistry , physics , optics
Non‐covalent interactions between molecules determine molecular recognition and the outcome of chemical and biological processes. Characterising how non‐covalent interactions influence binding preferences is of crucial importance in advancing our understanding of these events. Here, we analyse the interactions involved in smell and specifically the effect of changing the balance between hydrogen‐bonding and dispersion interactions by examining the complexes of the common odorant fenchone with phenol and benzene, mimics of tyrosine and phenylalanine residues, respectively. Using rotational spectroscopy and quantum chemistry, two isomers of each complex have been identified. Our results show that the increased weight of dispersion interactions in these complexes changes the preferred binding site in fenchone and sets the basis for a better understanding of the effect of different residues in molecular recognition and binding events.