The ONIOM method was applied to the interaction of nevirapine with the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase binding site. The isolated complex of pyridine (part of nevirapine) and methyl phenol (part of Tyr181) was found at the MP2/631+G(d) level to have stacking interaction with 8.8 kcal/mol binding energy. Optimization of nevirapine and Tyr181 geometry in the pocket of 16 amino acid residues at the ONIOM3(MP2/6-31G(d):HF/3-21G:PM3) level gave the complex structure with weak hydrogen bonding but without stacking interaction. The binding energy of 8.9 kcal/mol comes almost entirely from the interaction of nevirapine with amino acid residues other than Tyr181. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.