Solvated potential energy surfaces for MePC

A conformational study of methylphosphocholine (MePC) was performed from a conformational map calculated considering the dihedral angles that most affected the energy of the system. This conformational map was obtained from interpolations of energy values found from calculations that took into account the presence of solvent through a dielectric continuum approach. We used a quantum-mechanical method based on the Density Functional Theory (DFT) and the 6-31G(d,p) basis set. Conformational samplings were performed in stability regions and the most stable conformers were identified. Comparisons of samplings in solvated and non-solvated conformational maps were performed, and although very different from each other, they furnish equivalent final conformational sets. Both the sets reproduced satisfactorily the experimental shift observed for the vibrational modes of -[P(O-2)](-)- and -CH2- methylene groups of MePC when the system was solvated.