Carbonyl-carbonyl n→π* interactions where a lone pair (n) of the oxygen atom of a carbonyl group is delocalized over the π* orbital of a nearby carbonyl group have attracted a lot of attention in recent years due to their ability to affect the 3D structure of small molecules, polyesters, peptides, and proteins. In this paper, we report the discovery of a “reciprocal” carbonyl-carbonyl interaction with substantial back and forth n→π* and π→π* electron delocalization between neighboring carbonyl groups. We have carried out experimental studies, analyses of crystallographic databases and theoretical calculations to show the presence of this interaction in both small molecules and proteins. In proteins, these interactions are primarily found in polyproline II (PPII) helices. As PPII are the most abundant secondary structures in unfolded proteins, we propose that these local interactions may have implications in protein folding.

Hydrogen is present in almost all of the molecules in living things. It is very reactive and forms bonds with most of the elements, terminating their valences and enhancing their chemistry. X-ray diffraction is the most common method for structure determination. It depends on scattering of X-rays from electron density, which means the single electron of hydrogen is difficult to detect. Generally, neutron diffraction data are used to determine the accurate position of hydrogen atoms. However, the requirement for good quality single crystals, costly maintenance and the limited number of neutron diffraction facilities means that these kind of results are rarely available. Here it is shown that the use of Transferable Aspherical Atom Model (TAAM) instead of Independent Atom Model (IAM) in routine structure refinement with X-ray data is another possible solution which largely improves the precision and accuracy of X-H bond lengths and makes them comparable to averaged neutron bond lengths. TAAM, built from a pseudoatom databank, was used to determine the X-H bond lengths on 75 data sets for organic molecule crystals. TAAM parametrizations available in the modified University of Buffalo Databank (UBDB) of pseudoatoms applied through the DiSCaMB software library were used. The averaged bond lengths determined by TAAM refinements with X-ray diffraction data of atomic resolution (d min 0.83 Å ) showed very good agreement with neutron data, mostly within one single sample standard deviation, much like Hirshfeld atom refinement (HAR). Atomic displacements for both hydrogen and non-hydrogen atoms obtained from the refinements systematically differed from IAM results. Overall TAAM gave better fits to experimental data of standard resolution compared to IAM. The research was accompanied with development of software aimed at providing user-friendly tools to use aspherical atom models in refinement of organic molecules at speeds comparable to routine refinements based on spherical atom model.

Furosemide (FS), a loop diuretic drug commonly used for the treatment of hypertension and edema, exhibited color cocrystal polymorphism with coformer 4,4′bipyridine (4BPY) in the stoichiometry 2:1, albeit both the API and the cocrystal former are colorless. Crystallization from ethanol, isopropanol, ethanol−water (v/v, 1/1) mixture, and acetonitrile yielded pale yellow (form 1I, thin needles) and orange (form 1II, blocks) cocrystals concomitantly. Needles appeared from solution within a day, while the blocks were obtained after 1−2 days from the same flask, indicating that yellow needles were formed faster and the orange blocks were perhaps formed under thermodynamic conditions. Form 1I cocrystals could also be produced from the variety of common solvents. Cocrystallization of FS with 2,2′-bipyridine (2BPY) and 4-aminopyridine (4AP) gave colorless cocrystals 2 and 3, respectively, and did not exhibit polymorphism. The single-crystal X-ray structures, powder X-ray diffraction, photophysical characterization, differential scanning calorimetry, hot stage microscopy studies, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations provide insight into the structure−property relationship. The common structural features observed in all of the structures is the formation of sandwich motifs comprising FS and pyridines through πstacking interactions. These motifs are linked differently through hydrogen bonding interactions in all three directions. The significant color difference between the two cocrystals dimorphs could be attributed to the different π-stacking patterns and hydrogen bonding interactions between molecules of FS and 4BPY in their cocrystal structures. Investigation on the origin of the color difference using DFT calculations revealed the decrease in HOMO−LUMO gap for form 1II cocrystals (orange) compared to form 1I crystals (light yellow). The crystal-to-crystal thermal transformation of form 1I crystals to form 1II crystals of 1 suggests the role of π-stacking assemblies in driving the self-assembly.

Three isostructural polymorphs with two-dimensional and three-dimensional similarities are demonstrated quantitatively from similarity relationship analysis. The similarity dimensions are then visualized and correlated in a novel way via qualitative analysis using 'energy frameworks'. Two of the three polymorphs with three-dimensional similarities exhibiting identical physical properties have almost equi-energetic crystal structures while the most stable third polymorph exhibits distinct properties. Thereby, structure-property correlations are derived, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Reversibility between two concomitant polymorphs and their switching ability is demonstrated for the novel organic nonlinear optical (NLO) material Z-3-(3-methoxyphynyl)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)­acrylonitrile. The appearances of their concomitant as well as exclusive polymorphic forms were discovered upon systematic crystallization experiments using various solvents. Determination of X-ray crystal structures confirmed that the polymorphs crystallize in centrosymmetric (P21/n) and non-centrosymmetric (Fdd2) space groups. A search using the Cambridge Structural Database revealed that there exist only 10 such polymorphic pairs. Reversible phase transitions and the switching ability between the polymorphs can be achieved via both heat and solvents as stimuli. Structural analysis confirmed that the polymorphs have two-dimensional similarity. Further, quantitative and qualitative analysis of interaction energies based on the UNI force field and energy frameworks indicate that they possess very similar energies, although the centrosymmetric form is slightly lower in energy. A comparably high value of second harmonic generation activity and the NLO properties as estimated based on gas-phase and in-crystal calculations suggest that the non-centrosymmetric form could be a potential NLO material. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the rarest of its kind to show the reversibility and switching ability between centrosymmetric and non-centrosymmetric polymorphic phases in an organic material, induced via both thermal and solvent stimuli.