Stereoelectronic properties of antimalarial artemisinin analogues in relation to neurotoxicity.

Quantum chemical calculations on the molecular electronic structure of artemisinin (qinghaosu) and eight of its derivatives have resulted in stereoelectronic discriminators that differentiate between analogues with higher and lower neurotoxicities. Detailed ab initio quantum chemical calculations leading to complete optimization of geometry of each of the molecules were followed by calculation of their stereoelectronic properties using the 3-21G split valence basis sets and comparison of the stereoelectronic properties to in vitro neurotoxicity. The least neurotoxic compounds are more polar with an electric field pointing away from the endoperoxide bond and have a higher positive potential on the van der Waals surface of the all carbon-containing ring C, a more stable peroxide bond to cleavage, a less negative electrostatic potential by the endoperoxide, and a single negative potential region extending beyond the van der Waals surface of the molecule. In general, higher intrinsic lipophilicity is associated with greater neurotoxicity.