Structural and electronic analysis of peripheral benzodiazepine ligands: Description of the pharmacophoric elements for their receptors

Abstract

In order to understand the interaction mode of benzodiazepine ligands with their peripheral binding sites, the structural and electronic properties of a benzodiazepine Ro 5-4864, Alpidem, PK 11195, and some analogs are characterized at the ab initio molecular orbital level. Conformational and electronic data, with a particular emphasis on electrostatic aspects, i.e., molecular electrostatic potentials, Mulliken atomic charges, and potential-derived charges, are used as input within molecular superimpositions to elaborate the pharmacophoric elements for the peripheral benzodiazepine ligands. A putative three-dimensional (3-D) steric and electronic model is proposed.