Molecular calculations on the conformation of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor 1-((2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl)-6-(phenylthio)thymine (HEPT)

1-((2-Hydroxyethoxy)methyl)-6-(phenylthio)thymine (HEPT) is an effective inhibitor of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. Its conformations were analyzed by molecular calculations in order to gain some information about the energetical minima and the rotational barrier around the carbon-sulfur single bond. The calculated structures were compared to the results of X-ray investigations on HEPT associated with HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. The NMR spectra of HEPT were calculated to obtain information about its structure in solution. The conformation of the molecules in the complex was analyzed with respect to the intermolecular interactions between the inhibitor and the surrounding protein which determines the geometry of the inhibition complex. Docking simulations were performed to rationalize the experimentally estimated structure of HEPT in the complex.