Spectroscopic, electronic structure, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation study of 7-Trifluoromethyl-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid as an aromatase inhibitor

The present work encompasses a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of the molecular structure, vibrational wavenumbers, electronic structure at the ground and electronic excited states, molecular electrostatic potential surface of 7-(Trifluoromethyl)-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid (TICA) and possibility of the title molecule as an aromatase inhibitor using molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations. A stable conformer has been obtained using potential energy scans by varying appropriate dihedral angles. The obtained minimum energy conformer was further optimized at the 6-311++G (d, p) basis set by applying the most accepted B3LYP functional. A good agreement between experimental and calculated normal modes of vibration has been observed. The hydrogen-bonded interaction between two monomeric units of TICA has been investigated using NBO, QTAIM, and NCI (noncovalent interactions) analysis. Molecular docking of TICA with human placental aromatase (PDB ID: 3S79) reveals the formation of polar hydrogen bonds as well as hydrophobic interactions between the ligand and the protein, right in the binding cavity. TICA satisfies all pharmacokinetic filters (Lipinski rule of five, the Veber rule, Ghose rule, Egan rule, as well as the Muegge rule) and has a high bioavailability score of 0.85. Dynamic stability of the ligand within the binding pocket of the target protein has been confirmed by 100 ns molecular dynamics simulation results. The present study provides an excellent starting point for additional in vivo research, and TICA may eventually serve as a significant therapeutic candidate for the treatment of breast cancer.