Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Vol.112, No.6, 1641-1656, 2008
Application of computer simulation free-energy methods to compute the free energy of micellization as a function of micelle composition. 2. Implementation
In this paper, the implementation of the CS-FE/MT model introduced in article I is discussed, and computer simulations are performed to evaluate the feasibility of the new theoretical approach. As discussed in article 1, making predictions of surfactant/solubilizate aqueous solution behavior using the CS-FE/MT model requires evaluation of Delta Delta G for multiple surfactant-to-solubilizate or surfactant-to-cosurfactant transformations. The central goal of this article is to evaluate the quantitative accuracy of the alchemical computer simulation method used in the CS-FE/MT modeling approach to predict Delta Delta G for a single surfactant-to-solubilizate or for a single surfactant-to-cosurfactant transformation. A hybrid single/dual topology approach was used to morph the ionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) into the ionic solubilizate ibuprofen (IBU), and a dual topology approach was used to morph the nonionic surfactant octyl glucoside (OG) into the nonionic solubilizate p-aminobenzoate (PAB). In addition, a single topology approach was used to morph the nonionic surfactant n-decyl dimethylphosphine oxide (C10PO) into the nonionic cosurfactant n-decyl methyl sulfoxide (C10SO), the nonionic surfactant octylsulfinyl ethanol (C8SE) into the nonionic cosurfactant decylsulfinyl ethanol (C10SE), and the nonionic surfactant n-decyl methyl sulfoxide (C10SO) into the nonionic cosurfactant n-octyl methyl sulfoxide (C8SO). Each Delta Delta G value was computed by using thermodynamic integration to determine the difference in free energy associated with (i) transforming a surfactant molecule of type A into a cosurfactant/solubilizate molecule of type B in a micellar environment (referred to as Delta G(2)) and (ii) transforming a surfactant molecule of type A into a cosurfactant/solubilizate molecule of type B in aqueous solution (referred to as Delta G(1)). CS-FE/MT model predictions of Delta Delta G for each alchemical transformation were made at a number of simulation conditions, including (i) different equilibration times at each value of the coupling parameter lambda, (ii) different data-gathering times at each lambda value, and (iii) simulation at a different number of A values. For the three surfactant-to-cosurfactant transformations considered here, the Delta Delta G values predicted by the CS-FE/MT model were compared with AAG values predicted by an accurate molecular thermodynamic (MT) model developed by fitting to experimental CMC data. Even after performing lengthy equilibration and data gathering at each A value, physically unrealistic values of AAG were predicted by the CS-FE/MT model for the transformations of SDS into IBU and of OG into PAB. However, more physically realistic AAG values were predicted for the transformation of C10PO into C10SO, and reasonable free-energy predictions were obtained for the transformations of C8SE into C10SE and C10SO into C8SO. Each of the surfactant-to-cosurfactant transformations considered here involved less extensive structural changes than the surfactant-to-solubilizate transformations. As computer power increases and as improvements are made to alchemical free-energy methods, it may become possible to apply the CS-FE/MT model to make accurate predictions of the free-energy changes associated with forming multicomponent surfactant and solubilizate micelles in aqueous solution where the chemical structures ofthe surfactants, cosurfactants, and solubilizates differ significantly.