Bile acid derivatives crystal structures

In contrast to DCA, there were no detailed reports on the inclusion abilities of its related compounds. There are only a few descriptions of apocholic acid [5] (ACA, see later, in Figure 5) with a very similar bilayer structure to DCA. In 1986, Miyata and Miki et al. discovered lots of inclusion compounds of CA with the similar bilayer structures [6], On the other hand, it took a long time to determine the hexagonal crystal structures of CDCA inclusion compounds, and LCA exhibits no inclusion abilities as yet. In this way, it was confirmed that an increase or decrease of only one atom brings about completely different inclusion behaviors and crystal structures. This fascinating fact has given us adequate and continuous motivation to investigate the inclusion compounds of bile acid derivatives. 

We have researched the inclusion abilities of bile acid derivatives by using more than one hundred organic compounds as guest candidates. The inclusion phenomena vary from one case to another, indicating that subtle changes in molecular structures induce alteration in their molecular assemblies. In fact, X-ray diffraction studies prove that the steroidal hosts form various assemblies such as monolayers, bilayers, helical tubes, and so on, as shown in Figure 2. Therefore, systematic investigation of inclusion crystals of bile acid derivatives is expected to reveal a relationship between their molecular structures, assemblies and inclusion behavior. 

The structures of certain uncommon bile acids and their ethyl esters have abo been studied (79, 81), and incomplete crystal data of certain bile acid derivatives given in a brief note (72). The crystalline structures of most of the common bile acids and their alkaline salts have not yet been defined. 

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