Crystal structure, vibrational and chemical properties and phase transitions in Glycyl-DL-Aspartic acid and Glycyl-DL-Aspartic acid monohydrated.

In this paper, the structural and vibrational analysis of the dipeptides glycyl-DL-aspartic acid hydrate (H-Gly-DL-Asp-OH.H2O) crystal, with P1 (C11) triclinic symmetry and glycyl-DL-aspartic acid (H-Gly-DL-Asp-OH) crystal, with Cc space group (C4s) monoclinic structure, were studied. The crystallographic structures of these molecules were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Changes in the powder X-ray diffraction patterns of H-Gly-DL-Asp-OH.H2O as a function of the temperature were recorded. After 403 K, the water molecule detaches itself from H-Gly-DL-Asp-OH.H2O, causing its symmetry to change from triclinic to monoclinic. The normal modes of vibration were analyzed through calculations based on Density Functional Theory (DFT) using the B3LYP functional with the Gaussian bases 6-311++G (d,p) and potential energy distribution (PED) analysis. These results, together with literature data and Raman and infrared (IR) spectroscopy measurements, allowed the identification of the various vibrational normal modes. Furthermore, the effect of high pressure on H-Gly-DL-Asp-OH.H2O was studied by Raman spectroscopy experiments. The results obtained from the Raman spectra at high pressures indicate changes around 2.1 and 4.5 GPa, such as the disappearance, splitting and emergence of some modes, as well as discontinuities in the evolution of wavenumbers of several normal modes of vibration. Such changes involved modes localized in the region of external modes, while others involved molecular backbone modes and modes that participate in hydrogen bonding. The changes were related to small conformational changes associated with H bonds and small deformations in hydrated dipeptide molecules.