3-oxauracil
3-oxauracil had no known crystal structure at the outset of the study. Tom Lewis studied this molecule as art of a series of uracil predictions. As no experimental details were available, the ab initio optimised gas phase structure (see below) was used in the search
can we make a movie of the ab initio structure to put here?From Tom's experience in this area, the planar conformation was also used in the search. It may seem that there is so little difference between the two conformations that no difference would be seen in the results from the searches using the different conformations. However, a minor change to the molecule can give a significant change in the environment around it. Changes in the hydrogen bonding environment can have a vast effect on the energy of the hypothetical structure
Generate an energy/density plot for 3-oxauracil with the shape denoting the crystal packing type and the colour the starting conformation. Comment on the conformation and energy gap in this search.In parallel with Tom's work, Lucie Deprez, a sandwich student at GSK, carried out an experimental screen on this compound with a number of other uracil molecules. She found one anhydrous form, which is equivalent to the global minimum found in Tom's search. Talk about any difference in conformation between this structure and those Tom used.
Get pictures of the global lattice minimum structure and the experimental structure.© UCL Chemistry Department 2022. This page was last updated on 17 August, 2022. If you have any problems with this page please email the WebMaster