Molecular modeling study of chiral drug crystals: lattice energy calculations.

The lattice energies of a number of chiral drugs with known crystal structures were calculated using Dreiding II force field. The lattice energies, including van der Waals, Coulombic, and hydrogen-bonding energies, of homochiral and racemic crystals of some ephedrine derivatives and of several other chiral drugs, are compared. The calculated energies are correlated with experimental data to probe the underlying intermolecular forces responsible for the formation of racemic species, racemic conglomerates, or racemic compounds, termed chiral discrimination. Comparison of the calculated energies among ephedrine derivatives reveals that a greater Coulombic energy corresponds to a higher melting temperature, while a greater van der Waals energy corresponds to a larger enthalpy of fusion. For seven pairs of homochiral and racemic compounds, correlation of the differences between the two forms in the calculated energies and experimental enthalpy of fusion suggests that the van der Waals interactions play a key role in the chiral discrimination in the crystalline state. For salts of the chiral drugs, the counter ions diminish chiral discrimination by increasing the Coulombic interactions. This result may explain why salt forms favor the formation of racemic conglomerates, thereby facilitating the resolution of racemates.