Crystal and molecular structures of the isomeric dipeptides alpha-L-aspartyl-L-alanine and beta-L-aspartyl-L-alanine.

The crystal and molecular structures of the alpha- and beta-L-Asp isomers of L-aspartyl-L-alanine have been determined at 120 K using 1226 and 1609 reflections (I greater than 2.5 sigma I), respectively. The space group for the alpha-isomer is P2(1), with cell parameters a = 4.788(1), b = 16.943(4), c = 5.807(1) A and beta = 107.55(2) degrees; final R factor 0.042. The space group for the beta-isomer is P2(1)2(1)2(1) with a = 4.845(1), b = 9.409(2) and c = 19.170(3) A; final R-factor 0.047. The two peptides crystallize as zwitterions with the side-chain acidic groups ionized. Each molecule adopts a trans configuration at the peptide bond with both carboxyl groups situated on the same side of the peptide plane. The geometries of the aspartyl moieties do, however, differ in the two structures. The peptide bond is significantly longer in the beta-isomer than in the alpha-isomer, with C-N 1.344(3) and 1.328(4) A, respectively. A very short intermolecular carboxyl...carboxyl hydrogen bond (O...O = 2.502(4) A) is observed in the crystals of the alpha-isomer.