Investigation of reactive properties, adsorption on fullerene, DFT, molecular dynamics simulation of an anthracene derivative targeting dihydrofolate reductase and human dUTPase

Abstract

Anthracenes are aromatic compounds with flexible structure and reactivity which are of great interest to theoretical and experimental chemists. Theoretical investigations of 1,4-dihydroxy-5,8-bis[2-(2-hydroxyethylamino)ethylamino]anthracene-9,10-dione (Mitoxantrone) (DDEA) based on density functional theory, molecular dynamics and adsorption on fullerene are reported in the present research. The suitable situation for adsorption with fullerene (C60) is the cyclohex-2-ene-1,4-dione ring of DDEA. Selected quantum-molecular descriptors have been calculated to predict the most reactive sites of the DDEA molecule. Interactions of DDEA with water have been studied using MD simulations. MD simulations were also used to study solubility parameter, a significant quantity for the development of pharmaceutical formulations. The affinity of DDEA on human dihydrofolate reductase and deoxyuridine triphosphatase enzymes was investigated by MD simulation of the protein–ligand complex obtained by molecular docking study.

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Keywords:

• DFT
• adsorption
• fullerene
• MD simulations
• local reactivity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors thanks Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia [Grant No. 451-03-9/2021-14/200125].