Characterising non-covalent interactions with the Cambridge Structural Database.

This review describes how the CSD can be used to study non-covalent interactions. Several different types of information may be obtained. First, the relative frequencies of various interactions can be studied; for example, we have shown that the terminal oxygen atoms of phosphate groups accept hydrogen bonds far more often than the linkage oxygens. Secondly, information can be obtained about the geometries of nonbonded contacts; for example, hydrogen bonds to P-O groups rarely form along the extension of the P-O bond, whereas short contacts between oxygen and carbon-bound iodine show a strong preference for linear C-I ... O angles. Thirdly, the CSD can be searched for novel interactions which may be exploited in inhibitor design; for example, the I ... O contacts just mentioned, and N-H ... pi hydrogen bonds. Finally, the CSD can suggest synthetic targets for medicinal chemistry; for example, molecules containing delocalised electron deficient groups such as trimethylammonium, pyridinium, thaizolium and dinitrophenyl have a good chance of binding to an active-site tryptophan. Although the CSD contains small-molecule crystal structures, not protein-ligand complexes, there is considerable evidence that the contacts seen in the two types of structures are similar. We have illustrated this a number of times in the present review and additional evidence has been given previously by Klebe. The major advantages of the CSD are its size, diversity and experimental accuracy. For these reasons, it is a useful tool for modellers engaged in rational inhibitor design.