The difference in stability between 5′R and 5′S diastereomers of 5′,8-cyclopurine-2′-deoxynucleosides. DFT study in gaseous and aqueous phase

Abstract

Abstract Oxidatively generated damage to DNA frequently appears in the human genome as an effect of aerobic metabolism or as the result of exposure to exogenous oxidizing agents. Due to these facts it has been decided to calculate the stability of 5′,8-cyclo-2′-deoxyadenosine/guanosine (cdA, cdG) in their 5′R and 5′S diastereomeric forms. For all points of quantum mechanics studies presented, the density functional theory (DFT) with B3LYP parameters on 6-311++G** basis set level was used. The calculations showed a significant negative enthalpy for glycosidic bond cleavage reaction for cationic forms and slightly negative for neutral ones. The preliminary study of the discussed process has shown the nature of stepwise nucleophilic substitution DN*AD type mechanism. Surprisingly, the different values in free energy, between short-lived oxacarbenium ion intermediates, have been found to lie over a relatively small range, around 1 and 2.8 kcal mol−1. For anions, the decomposition enthalpies were found as positive in aqueous phases. These theoretical results are supported by the formic acid hydrolysis experiments of both diastereomers of cdA, for the first time. (5′S)cdA exhibited higher stability than (5′R)cdA.