DFT computations on the hydrogen bonding interactions between methacrylic acid-trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate copolymers and letrozole as drug delivery systems

The hydrogen bonding interactions between letrozole (Let) anticancer drug and three copolymers of methacrylic acid-trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (M1–M3 as molecular imprinted polymers) were studied using density functional theory (DFT) at both B3LYP and B3PW91 levels. The binding energies were corrected for the basis set superposition error (BSSE) and zero-point vibrational energies (ZPVE) so that the most negative [Formula: see text] were measured for compounds 7 and 8 formed between M1 copolymer and endocyclic N1 and N2 atoms of drug, respectively. Also, among complexes 13–15 in which two copolymers were contributed in the formation of O–H[Formula: see text]N bonds with the drug, compound 13 (containing two M1 copolymers) showed the highest [Formula: see text] value. The interactions of all copolymers with drug were exergonic (spontaneous interaction) and exothermic. The QTAIM data supported the covalent character of the C–N, C–H, N–N, C–O, O–H and O–H[Formula: see text]N bonds, the intermediate nature of C[Formula: see text]N and C[Formula: see text]O bonds while the electrostatic character of C–H[Formula: see text]O, HC[Formula: see text]HC and CH[Formula: see text]N interactions. According to the [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] values, it was suggested that t complexes 7 and 8 (among two particles systems) as well as complex 13 (among three particles systems) can be the most promising drug delivery systems.