Theoretical study of cocaine and ecgonine methyl ester in gas phase and in aqueous solution

The conformational preferences of cocaine and ecgonine methyl ester were determined through ab initio and density functional theory calculations. They share the same preferred orientation of the acetate group with a hydrogen bond between the amine and carbonyl groups, and s-cis conformation for the methoxyl group. The benzoyloxy group of cocaine defines a specific accessible conformational region. In solution the most stable conformers are stabilized by internal hydrogen bonds in contrast to the lesser stables, which are stabilized by solute/solvent interactions. Overall, these conformational features explain why ecgonine methyl ester is the principal metabolite of cocaine in a human environment.