Origin and consequences of steric strain in the rhodopsin binding pocket.

To study the origin and the effects of steric strain on the chromophore conformation in rhodopsin, we have performed quantum-mechanical calculations on the wild-type retinal chromophore and four retinal derivatives, 13-demethyl-, 10-methyl-13-demethyl-, 10-methyl-, and 9-demethylretinal. For the dynamics of the whole protein, a combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics method (DFTB/CHARMM) was used and for the calculation of excited-state properties the nonempirical CASSCF/CASPT2 method. After relaxation inside the protein, all chromophores show significant nonplanar distortions from C10 to C13, most strongly for 10-methylretinal and least pronounced for 9-demethylretinal.

The trifluoromethoxycarbonyl radical CF(3)OCO.

The trifluoromethoxycarbonyl radical CF(3)OCO is formed by low-pressure flash pyrolysis of CF(3)OC(O)OOC(O)OCF(3) or CF(3)OC(O)OOCF(3) in the presence of a high excess of CO and subsequent quenching of the reaction mixture as a CO matrix. The IR and UV spectra are recorded, and a DFT study of CF(3)OCO is presented. According to the quantum chemical calculations, two rotamers should exist with an energy difference between the isomers equal or larger than 12 kJmol(-1).