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Methods, Problems and Solutions

Powder Diffraction Structure Solution Pathways

Solving an Organic Structure (Cimetidine - C 10 H 16 N6 S) from Powder Diffraction Data

Solve the structure of Cimetidine using ESPOIR with no restraints

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[Back to: Problems and Solutions] | [Back to: Tutorials]
[Back to: Powder Diffraction Structure Solution Pathways Index]
[Back to: Solving an Organic Structure (Cimetidine) from Powder Diffraction Data]

[Back to: Initial Connectivity Searching of the Cambridge database for Cimetidine like molecules using CORINA, Platon and Quest/CSD]
[Back to: Peak Profiling of Cimetidine using XFIT]
[Back to: Powder Indexing and Spacegroup Assignment of Cimetidine using the Crysfire and Chekcell combination of programs]
[Back to: CELL Searching the Cambridge database via Platon and Quest]
[Back to: Le Bail fitting and generating an EXPO starting file using LHPM-Rietica]
[Back to: Solve the structure of Cimetidine using the Sireware EXPO direct methods software]
[Back to: Finding possibly missing Symmetry in cimetidine using the Platon ADDSYM option]
[Back to: Searching the Cambridge database via Platon and Quest for related strutures]
[Back to: Generating a 2D to 3D fragement for fragment searching using the web based CORINA; then getting into a Shelx format using Ortep-3]
[Back to: Solve the structure of Cimetidine using Sir97 Single Crystal Direct Methods Software]
[Back to: Solve the structure of Cimetidine using Dirdif fragment searching]
[Back to: Solve the structure of Cimetidine using ESPOIR with no restraints]
[Back to: Solve the structure of Cimetidine using ESPOIR with bond restraints]
[Back to: Solve the structure of Cimetidine using ESPOIR with a combination of rigid bodies freely moving atoms]

[To: Xfit-Koalariet Peak Profiling Software] | [To: Crysfire Powder Indexing Suite] | [To: Chekcell Powder Indexing Helper Tool] | [To: Platon/System S Crystallographic Toolset] | [To: LHPM-Rietica Rietveld for Win95/NT] | [To: EXPO Directory Methods Structure Solution from Powder Data] | [To: Sir97 Single Crystal Structure Solution Software] | [To: WinGX Single Crystal Suite] | [To: Espoir Monte Carlo Structure Solution Software]

This example uses example Cimetidine data from the EXPO software


Also refer to the tutorial by Armel Le Bail on "Setting up the program files in < 10 minutes" - example of solving on an organic - and also defining torsion angles:


Once Direct Methods and Patterson methods are exhausted, a method of last resort is to use real-space techniques such as the Monte Carlo method offered in Armel Le Bail's ESPOIR software (as of writing, version 3 was just released). This can take hours (more likely days, possibly weeks, maybe months) to run and there is no guarantee it will solve as per the random combinations tried by the ESPOIR software. A way to make it more likely to solve is to introduce rigid fragments if this is possible (which is part of another ESPOIR tutorial). This tutorial will go through the basic setup that might work: in all the atoms freely moving with no bond restraints or fragments.

Obtain the F's (NOT Fsqures) HKL file from the Le Bail fit (you can use the extra.hkl file generated by EXPO if you ran this already). Use Armel Le Bail's overlap software to process and convert the HKL file into Shelx F's format (filenameF.hkl is the output file) using the "0" option so as not to lose any reflections.

As ESPOIR can reconstruct the profile from the HKL file (which is the method we will use here), you MUST tell the OVERLAP HKL processing software to keep all the reflections by using "0" to signify that all reflections are to be kept irrespective of the degree of overlap. If you do not do this, the reconstructed profile will not be correct as it will be missing intensity from the overlapped reflections.

Generally (advice from Armel) you want 10 observations (HKLs) per atom. So if you have 17 non-Hydrogen atoms to find, 200 reflections could be OK. You can use more, but this will increase computation time. Using a fragment can save on computation time instead of using freely moving atoms - providing there is a rigid fragment that can be defined. 50 HKLs per multi-atom fragment is recommended by Armel.


Creating the ESPOIR Control file (filename.dat)

Before running ESPOIR, the Espoir control file has to be created. It is possible to reuse a file but you may miss-interpret the meaning of a parameter causing unexpected results. Initially it would be better to generate the file from scratch using the PRESPOIR program.

ESPOIR and PRESPOIR use a DOS like interface so you would normally run it from the command line (go into the subdirectory where the files are located and call the programs the old fashioned way)

ESPOIR is developing all the time so it is good to check for updates. Tonight's update (17th April 2000) is that ESPOIR has Fullprof like comments in the control file (filename.dat) - hurrah! You may have to fiddle around to get ESPOIR working to your satisfaction in solving structures successfully.

To make a start, open up a DOS Command prompt and enter the directory with the data. Type prespoir to be given the following window.

Running  Prespoir

  • Remember: use the Fobs HKL data NOT the Fsquared HKL data!
    (have already made this mistake myself - Lachlan)

  • (Note: using the Windows cut and paste can save a lot of problems, expecially minimising the introduction of typographical errors)

  • (Note: If using the "regenerated pseudo-pattern", you will be prompted to give the U,V,W from the Le Bail fit. Please have this information handy. The following HKL file was Le Bail fitted using Fullprof)

  • When prompted, give the filename (in this case cime)
  • When prompted, give an identifier (in this case cime)
  • Give the cell constants (you can use a Windows cut and paste - wiggle the mouse a bit if the pasting seems to pause. Such are the mysteries of MS-Windows.) (10.394251 18.819084 6.825021 90.000000 106.437195 90.000000)
  • Give the spacegroup (P 21/A) Note that this is a non-standard setting and may give problems later when viewing in "Default" Platon - in putting the connectivity out of whack. Also, different programs may handle the default connectivity differently.
  • Give the wavelength. (1.52904)
  • This is X-ray data (the codeword is 4)
  • There are 17 non-hydrogen atoms in this structure; thus enter 17
  • There are 3 different atom types.
  • There is one object (the freely moving atoms) - so enter 1
  • When in doubt (especially if there is an overlap problem), fit on the regenerated pseudo-pattern: = 1
  • Get the printouts.
  • Give the U,V,W from the Le Bail fit. (0.00414 0.00042 0.00144)
  • Give the number of points above for the pseudo powder pattern (I tend to say 4)
  • When prompted, give the Atom Types one at a time. (S N C)
  • We will not be providing bond contraints. (0 = no)
  • Give maximum move (in Angstrom) for each atom type. Not sure of a good rule here - I guess you find out by trial and error(?), I just copied from the ESPOIR example site (7)
  • Give the annealing law: go with the default: 2 (unless you have another option?)
  • Give sigma : the data precision - go with the default: 1
  • Give reject: I tend to go with 0.005 instead of the default of 0.001
  • Give number of moves between prints (I tend to go for 5000)
  • Give the maximum number of moves: Go with default of 200000
  • Give the maximum number for saving: I tend to go with 20000
  • If after nstart events, the R factor is larger than rmax, then restart Give nstart and rmax: (I tend to blindly go for the defaults: 40000 and 0.2) (so ESPOIR will reject any solution about 20% after 40,000 moves)
  • I like to fit on "R", thus enter 2
  • Go for the default number of Runs (10) - you may have to optimise this over time.


  • For Object Number 1 (the only object in this example)

  • We are using randomly generated atoms, and NPERM of 10 seems nice thus enter 1 10

  • When prompted for number of Sulphur atoms: 1
  • When prompted for number of Nitrogen atoms: 6
  • When prompted for number of Carbon atoms: 10
  • Enter a thermal value - ESPOIR suggests 3 for Organic.
  • Using occupancy of 1 for all atoms: Enter 0
  • Try a guess that all atoms are on general positions: Enter 0

  • Enter any number (try 4?) to finish with PRESOIR

Following is the completed ESPOIR file generated by PRESPOIR:

! title
cime                                                                            
!    a,     b,     c,    alpha,    beta,    gamma
  10.3943  18.8191   6.8250    90.000   106.437    90.000
! space group
P 21/A                              
! lambda, radiation, N of atoms, types of atoms, N of objects, "|Fobs|" or patterns, iprint
1.52904   4  17   3   1   1   1
! U,     V,     W,    STEP
  0.00414  0.00042  0.00144   4.
! atom names, in 8A4
S   N   C   
! code for minimal distance contraints
 0
! maximum moves for each type of atom
   7.000   7.000   7.000
! annealing law, sigma, reject
  2.0000  1.0000  0.0050
! number of events for : print, maximum, save
      5000    200000     20000
! events for restart, rmax, ichi, number of runs
 40000  0.200   2  19
! object type and NPERM for object   1
   1  10
! number of atoms of each type in object   1
   1   6  10
! B overall, NOCC, NSPE for object   1
 3.0 0 0

Running ESPOIR

Type espoir and when prompted for the control file, enter cime (or whatever the filename is - no file extension) .

Running  Espoir


Observing the Results

Espoir will generate a "backup" Platon SPF file and shelx INS file each specified number of cycles that you requested in the control file. Use Platon or Ortep-3 (or you favourite structure viewing software) to view the file.

Warning: As stated above, one problem when using a non-standard spacegroup and Platon is that it may convert into a standard setting that could affect the of the structure. Though each program may have different "default" views of the structure and may require some tweaking. (for instance: in Ortep-3 - growing the fragments.

Platon View - converted into a standard setting

Viewing of the resulting structure in Platon

Ortep-3 view - may have to grow fragments/expand the cell

Viewing the structure in Ortep-3

SXGRAPH - soon to be released in the next WinGX - allows Assembly of residues and Growing Fragments

Viewing the structure in Ortep-3


[Back to: Problems and Solutions] | [Back to: Tutorials]
[Back to: Powder Diffraction Structure Solution Pathways Index]
[Back to: Solving an Organic Structure (Cimetidine) from Powder Diffraction Data]

[Back to: Initial Connectivity Searching of the Cambridge database for Cimetidine like molecules using CORINA, Platon and Quest/CSD]
[Back to: Peak Profiling of Cimetidine using XFIT]
[Back to: Powder Indexing and Spacegroup Assignment of Cimetidine using the Crysfire and Chekcell combination of programs]
[Back to: CELL Searching the Cambridge database via Platon and Quest]
[Back to: Le Bail fitting and generating an EXPO starting file using LHPM-Rietica]
[Back to: Solve the structure of Cimetidine using the Sireware EXPO direct methods software]
[Back to: Finding possibly missing Symmetry in cimetidine using the Platon ADDSYM option]
[Back to: Searching the Cambridge database via Platon and Quest for related strutures]
[Back to: Generating a 2D to 3D fragement for fragment searching using the web based CORINA; then getting into a Shelx format using Ortep-3]
[Back to: Solve the structure of Cimetidine using Sir97 Single Crystal Direct Methods Software]
[Back to: Solve the structure of Cimetidine using Dirdif fragment searching]
[Back to: Solve the structure of Cimetidine using ESPOIR with no restraints]
[Back to: Solve the structure of Cimetidine using ESPOIR with bond restraints]
[Back to: Solve the structure of Cimetidine using ESPOIR with a combination of rigid bodies freely moving atoms]

[To: Xfit-Koalariet Peak Profiling Software] | [To: Crysfire Powder Indexing Suite] | [To: Chekcell Powder Indexing Helper Tool] | [To: Platon/System S Crystallographic Toolset] | [To: LHPM-Rietica Rietveld for Win95/NT] | [To: EXPO Directory Methods Structure Solution from Powder Data] | [To: Sir97 Single Crystal Structure Solution Software] | [To: WinGX Single Crystal Suite] | [To: Espoir Monte Carlo Structure Solution Software]

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