The solution conformation of prostacyclin as determined by high field proton magnetic resonance techniques

The proton magnetic resonance (1H nmr) spectrum at 400 MHz of prostacyclin at pH 10.4 in glycine buffer has been completely analyzed utilizing homonuclear double resonance, inversion recovery, and difference nOe experiments. The spectral analysis shows that the two protons at C-4 are non-equivalent even though they are removed from the asymmetric centres at C-8 and C-9 by five bonds. The difference nOe measurements verify the configuration at C-5.Proton longitudinal relaxation times (T1) were measured at 400 and 200 MHz. From the T1 frequency dependence, effective rotational correlation times ranging from 2.3 × 10−10 to 3.0 × 10−10 s were calculated for H-5, H-9, H-11, and H-15. This indicates that the portion of the molecule encompassed by these protons has a longer correlation time than is observed for the C-2 and the C-17 to C-19 protons, for which the average correlation time is 1.2 × 10−10 s. Hence the aliphatic side chains have more segmental motion.