Toward an ab initio potential energy surface for paclitaxel: A C-13 isoserine side chain conformational study

(S)-3-Methyl-3-butenyl-(2R,3S)-N-benzoyl-3-phenylisoserinate is used as a model of the C-13 side chain, an essential subunit for the cytotoxicity of the diterpenoid paclitaxel, a chemotherapeutic drug used in the treatment of cancer. The potential energy surface (PES), calculated using a density functional theory method (DFT) and refined with MP2 single-point energy calculations, based on B3LYP geometries, was evaluated. Twelve intramolecular hydrogen bond patterns were identified for 103 in vacuo conformers. The most stable subset of these structures was found to have cooperative NH ⋯ OH ⋯ OC(O) motifs and six minima of importance that lie within 1.2kcal/mol of each other. The oxygen atoms of the ester groups effectively compete with the 2'-oxygen as a proton acceptor of NH to form stable internal hydrogen bonded structures. Additionally, the conventional OH ⋯ OC(N) hydrogen bond, which is represented by almost one third of the located minima, donates a number of stable conformers. However, the PES of the conformationally flexible model is highly dependent on the polarity of the environment. For example, the OH ⋯ OC(N) feature dominates over the cooperative motif in water. The side chain of the experimental T-taxol shaped structure agrees nicely with the respective theoretical lowest energy minimum. The π-π interactions of the phenyl rings and ethylene moiety of this structure are also discussed.