Pharmacophore identification in amnesia-reversal compounds using conformational analysis and chemometric methods

The conformational features of ten known amnesia reversal compounds were analyzed by the molecular mechanics calculations with the aim of identifying a common spatial disposition of the polar functional groups present in all the molecules (a N‐C=O amidic group and a X‐C=O group, with X = O, N). Principal component analysis (PCA) led to the identification of three interatomic distances able to provide all the information necessary to describe the relative spatial disposition of the two functional groups. Cluster analysis was then performed to group the minimum energy conformations according to the values of those distances. Clusters were analyzed to single out those containing conformations of the maximum number of active compounds. This procedure permitted the finding of several acceptable pharmacophore models. The influence on results by the dissociated/undissociated forms of carboxylic compounds presented in the data set is also discussed. Two potent prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) inhibitors showing strong anti‐amnesic effect were also included in the study. The results suggest that the common biological activity between these classes of compounds could be interpreted on the basis of the common spatial disposition of the investigated functional groups. Copyright © 1990 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim