50 minCalculated database fieldsExecuted reading edition

Inspect a calculated caffeine conformer

Preview the PubChem 3D conformer offline, compare bond lengths and audit heavy-atom distance geometry.

Chemistry · Lesson 03🔋 Offline core analysis⏱ 50 minCalculated database fields📦 numpy · pandas · scipy · matplotlib · py3Dmol · IPython

Goal and how to run

This lesson assumes basic Python knowledge. Read each method and caption before changing parameters. AI exercises are optional; no AI account is needed for the core workflow. Data lives in notebook metadata, so there is no companion data download. Keep the notebook saved in the active working folder.

Your goal is to understand the research question, execute transparent calculations, check the results, and state the limits of the conclusion.

Setup and parameters

In [1] · Python
from pathlib import Path
import base64, gzip, hashlib, json, platform
import numpy as np
import pandas as pd
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from IPython.display import display, HTML
import py3Dmol
from scipy.spatial.distance import cdist
from IPython.display import display as _display
def display(value):
    if isinstance(value,pd.DataFrame):
        table=value.to_html(max_rows=12,escape=True)
        style="<style>.vibeit-readable-table{max-width:100%;overflow-x:auto}.vibeit-readable-table table{width:max-content;max-width:none;border-collapse:collapse}.vibeit-readable-table td,.vibeit-readable-table th{white-space:nowrap!important;word-break:normal!important;overflow-wrap:normal!important}</style>"
        return _display(HTML(style+'<div class="vibeit-readable-table">'+table+'</div>'))
    return _display(value)
RECIPE_ID='ch03-caffeine-geometry'
OUTPUT_DIR=Path.cwd()/"results"/RECIPE_ID
plt.rcParams.update({"figure.dpi":120,"font.size":10,"axes.spines.top":False,"axes.spines.right":False,
                      "axes.prop_cycle":plt.cycler(color=["#18785f","#416aa6","#bc6541","#9974a5"])})
print("Python:",platform.python_version(),"; NumPy:",np.__version__,"; Pandas:",pd.__version__)
print("Working folder:",Path.cwd())
print("Core data mode: embedded snapshot; no network requests")
Python: 3.13.13 ; NumPy: 2.5.3 ; Pandas: 3.0.6
Working folder: /Users/zhiluo/Developer/vibeit-cookbook/cookbook/downloads
Core data mode: embedded snapshot; no network requests

Load the embedded snapshot

In [2] · Python
def load_snapshot(recipe_id, expected_sha256, snapshot_key):
    """Read embedded data from this notebook, including a renamed copy."""
    for path in sorted(Path.cwd().glob("*.ipynb")):
        try:
            notebook = json.loads(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
            metadata = notebook.get("metadata", {}).get("vibeit_cookbook", {})
            blob = metadata.get("snapshots", {}).get(snapshot_key)
            if metadata.get("recipe_id") != recipe_id or not blob:
                continue
            if blob.get("sha256") != expected_sha256:
                continue
            raw = gzip.decompress(base64.b64decode(blob["gzip_base64"], validate=True))
            if hashlib.sha256(raw).hexdigest() != expected_sha256:
                raise ValueError("Embedded snapshot checksum mismatch: " + snapshot_key)
            return json.loads(raw)
        except (OSError, json.JSONDecodeError):
            continue
    raise FileNotFoundError(
        "Save/open the complete .ipynb in the active working folder. "
        "The embedded snapshot could not be located for " + recipe_id)

SNAPSHOT_HASHES={'molecules': '780c5f98bb3b7261465f8330d4b31589d4224cdf21f916b4a1788f11bcc00aac'}
def snapshot(key):
    return load_snapshot(RECIPE_ID,SNAPSHOT_HASHES[key],key)
print("Embedded snapshots:",list(SNAPSHOT_HASHES))
Embedded snapshots: ['molecules']

Read the method functions

In [3] · Python
def parse_molfile(text):
    """Read V2000 atoms/bonds and formal-charge annotations from one SDF record."""
    lines=text.splitlines()
    if len(lines)<4 or 'V2000' not in lines[3]:raise ValueError('Expected one V2000 molfile/SDF record')
    atom_count=int(lines[3][:3]);bond_count=int(lines[3][3:6])
    if atom_count<=0 or len(lines)<4+atom_count+bond_count:raise ValueError('Truncated molfile')
    atoms=[];charge_codes={0:0,1:3,2:2,3:1,5:-1,6:-2,7:-3}
    for j,line in enumerate(lines[4:4+atom_count]):
        element=line[31:34].strip();position=[float(line[:10]),float(line[10:20]),float(line[20:30])]
        if not element or not np.isfinite(position).all():raise ValueError('Invalid atom record')
        charge_code=int(line[36:39].strip() or 0)
        if charge_code not in charge_codes:raise ValueError('Unsupported atom charge/radical code')
        atoms.append(dict(index=j,element=element,position=position,formal_charge=charge_codes[charge_code]))
    bonds=[];seen=set()
    for line in lines[4+atom_count:4+atom_count+bond_count]:
        a=int(line[:3])-1;b=int(line[3:6])-1;order=int(line[6:9]);pair=tuple(sorted([a,b]))
        if not 0<=a<atom_count or not 0<=b<atom_count or a==b or pair in seen or order not in [1,2,3,4]:
            raise ValueError('Invalid or duplicate bond')
        seen.add(pair);bonds.append(dict(a=a,b=b,order=order))
    for line in lines[4+atom_count+bond_count:]:
        if line.startswith('M  CHG'):
            fields=line.split();count=int(fields[2])
            for j in range(count):
                index=int(fields[3+2*j])-1;charge=int(fields[4+2*j])
                if not 0<=index<atom_count:raise ValueError('Invalid formal-charge atom index')
                atoms[index]['formal_charge']=charge
    return dict(atoms=atoms,bonds=bonds,title=lines[0],atom_count=atom_count,bond_count=bond_count)

print("Method ready: parse_molfile")
Method ready: parse_molfile

Data and model boundary

PubChem properties and conformers are calculated database fields, not new experimental measurements. V2000 parsing here is intentionally limited to atoms, reported bonds and formal charges. Titration and calibration use stated ideal/simulated teaching assumptions. Water pressure uses the attributed IAPWS reference correlation. Descriptors, distances and visual proximity do not establish biological activity or binding strength.

Steps

1. Distinguish computed conformation from experiment

The source is a PubChem calculated caffeine conformer. Coordinates are in ångströms and include explicit hydrogens. This is neither a solved protein structure nor a solvent-dependent ensemble; source bond connectivity remains separate from geometric proximity.

In [4] · Python
molecules=snapshot("molecules");sdf=molecules["caffeine_3d_sdf"];record=parse_molfile(sdf)
positions=np.array([a["position"] for a in record["atoms"]]);elements=np.array([a["element"] for a in record["atoms"]])
heavy=elements!="H";print("Atoms:",len(positions),"; heavy atoms:",int(heavy.sum()),"; coordinate unit: Å; computed conformer")
viewer=py3Dmol.view(width="100%",height=420)
viewer.addModel(sdf,"sdf");viewer.setStyle({"stick":{"radius":.15},"sphere":{"scale":.25}});viewer.setBackgroundColor("white");viewer.zoomTo();viewer.zoom(.7)
display(HTML(viewer._make_html()))
Atoms:
 24 ; heavy atoms: 14 ; coordinate unit: Å; computed conformer

3Dmol.js failed to load for some reason. Please check your browser console for error messages.

2. Build a static geometry cross-check

The static figure uses the same coordinates and source bonds. Axes are ångströms. It provides an offline non-WebGL view, and does not infer a bond by simply drawing every short interatomic distance.

In [5] · Python
colors={"C":"gray","H":"lightgray","N":"royalblue","O":"red"}
fig=plt.figure(figsize=(7,6));ax=fig.add_subplot(projection="3d")
for element in sorted(set(elements)):
 mask=elements==element;ax.scatter(*positions[mask].T,color=colors.get(element,"green"),s=35 if element!="H" else 12,label=element)
for bond in record["bonds"]:
 pair=positions[[bond["a"],bond["b"]]];ax.plot(*pair.T,color="black",lw=1)
ax.set(xlabel="x (Å)",ylabel="y (Å)",zlabel="z (Å)",title="Calculated caffeine conformer; source bonds");ax.legend();plt.tight_layout();plt.show()
Computed figure from this code cell

3. Measure source-bond lengths

Measure Euclidean distances only for declared bond endpoints. The histogram uses the calculated conformer’s geometry. Bond lengths are not bond energies, force constants or evidence of biological binding.

In [6] · Python
bond_lengths=np.array([np.linalg.norm(positions[b["a"]]-positions[b["b"]]) for b in record["bonds"]])
fig,ax=plt.subplots(figsize=(7,4));ax.hist(bond_lengths,bins=15,edgecolor="white")
ax.set(xlabel="Calculated source-bond length (Å)",ylabel="Bonds",title="Geometric lengths, not interaction energies");plt.tight_layout();plt.show()
Computed figure from this code cell

4. Audit the heavy-atom distance matrix

The matrix includes all heavy-atom pairs and has a zero diagonal. A distance matrix encodes geometry but not bond type, stereochemical identity or a binding assay. Use it alongside the declared structure record.

In [7] · Python
heavy_positions=positions[heavy];distance=cdist(heavy_positions,heavy_positions)
fig,ax=plt.subplots(figsize=(6,5));im=ax.imshow(distance,cmap="viridis")
ax.set(xlabel="Heavy-atom order",ylabel="Heavy-atom order",title="Calculated heavy-atom distances");fig.colorbar(im,ax=ax,label="Distance (Å)");plt.tight_layout();plt.show()
Computed figure from this code cell

5. Reconcile geometry and export the conformer

Check symmetry and one manually recomputed distance; check positivity of all reported bond lengths. Preserve the original SDF with derived tables so geometric results can be traced to the exact calculated conformer.

In [8] · Python
assert np.allclose(distance,distance.T) and np.allclose(np.diag(distance),0)
assert np.isclose(distance[0,1],np.sqrt(np.sum((heavy_positions[0]-heavy_positions[1])**2)))
assert np.all(bond_lengths>0) and heavy.sum()==14
OUTPUT_DIR.mkdir(parents=True,exist_ok=True);(OUTPUT_DIR/"caffeine-computed-conformer.sdf").write_text(sdf)
pd.DataFrame(distance).to_csv(OUTPUT_DIR/"heavy-atom-distances-Angstrom.csv",index=False)
pd.DataFrame({"a":[b["a"] for b in record["bonds"]],"b":[b["b"] for b in record["bonds"]],"reported_type":[b["order"] for b in record["bonds"]],"length_Angstrom":bond_lengths}).to_csv(OUTPUT_DIR/"reported-bond-lengths.csv",index=False)
print("Geometry checks passed; exports:",OUTPUT_DIR)
Geometry checks passed; exports: /Users/zhiluo/Developer/vibeit-cookbook/cookbook/downloads/results/ch03-caffeine-geometry

Exercises and reference explanation

  1. Why separate source bonds from close geometric pairs?
  2. Why does one calculated conformer not represent solution dynamics?

Reference explanation. Short distance alone is not a declared bond. The snapshot is a computed model and omits an environmental ensemble, dynamics and experiment.

Keep a copy before changing parameters. Compare old and new figures and record which inputs, calculations and conclusions changed.

Optional AI coding exercises

Prompt 1

Using NumPy/SciPy/Matplotlib/py3Dmol, color atoms by element and label source atom indices without implying biological binding.

Prompt 2

Using the same packages, compare H-containing versus heavy-only bond-length distributions.

Human acceptance. Distances are symmetric with zero diagonal, source SDF is preserved and units remain ångströms.

Review the edited source, then manually run affected cells and subsequent checks. Ask the assistant to explain the purpose, packages and data provenance of its changes, and reconcile that explanation with actual output.

Optional online extension

In [9] · Python
RUN_ONLINE_UPDATE=False
if RUN_ONLINE_UPDATE:
    import requests
    try:
        response=requests.get('https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/rest/pug/compound/cid/2519/property/MolecularFormula/JSON',timeout=20)
        response.raise_for_status()
        print("Source:",response.url)
        print(response.text[:700])
    except requests.RequestException as error:
        print("Online extension unavailable:",type(error).__name__,str(error)[:160])
else:
    print("Online extension skipped; embedded core data unchanged")
Online extension skipped; embedded core data unchanged

Sources, snapshots and next steps

  • PubChem calculated molecular properties — NCBI public data; PubChem computed properties only; credit PubChem; no third-party narrative annotations included; retrieved 2026-10-09. SHA-256 b01b092cc8872e14fdab1fdc608c783669131a081c71d9ccee77c0bb9c6ff408. Keep the returned calculated fields for eight declared CIDs; molecular weight converted from API numeric string.

  • PubChem 2D SDF 702 — NCBI public data; PubChem standardized structure; credit PubChem; retrieved 2026-10-09. SHA-256 5962afc9ee8115dee9d5e63cefeef89cdc47641420b34afe156062d263c9caa7. Preserve complete standardized SDF, including CID and explicit hydrogen/bond fields.

  • PubChem 2D SDF 176 — NCBI public data; PubChem standardized structure; credit PubChem; retrieved 2026-10-09. SHA-256 f51353e1db0a0be8aa3aeb7bea28b6febb1e1f8afdf88fbf298405851f7ee092. Preserve complete standardized SDF, including CID and explicit hydrogen/bond fields.

  • PubChem 2D SDF 241 — NCBI public data; PubChem standardized structure; credit PubChem; retrieved 2026-10-09. SHA-256 3f4698bd6773f5e709184759048c116d106ac392e874676444b64af254e9a189. Preserve complete standardized SDF, including CID and explicit hydrogen/bond fields.

  • PubChem 2D SDF 887 — NCBI public data; PubChem standardized structure; credit PubChem; retrieved 2026-10-09. SHA-256 5cf6d180935f2fe77d20772a4bf2506711d4436762f6c6801157ac748f088530. Preserve complete standardized SDF, including CID and explicit hydrogen/bond fields.

  • PubChem 2D SDF 180 — NCBI public data; PubChem standardized structure; credit PubChem; retrieved 2026-10-09. SHA-256 6ecceacce326b6ecc292dedd946f589e879c999f43242395d995b59a8c8eb128. Preserve complete standardized SDF, including CID and explicit hydrogen/bond fields.

  • PubChem 2D SDF 2519 — NCBI public data; PubChem standardized structure; credit PubChem; retrieved 2026-10-09. SHA-256 47293391d630f44f2a32c3f7702d766744c8f4a4f16f6571d4ae09f04b3daaed. Preserve complete standardized SDF, including CID and explicit hydrogen/bond fields.

  • PubChem 2D SDF 2244 — NCBI public data; PubChem standardized structure; credit PubChem; retrieved 2026-10-09. SHA-256 0dfd04496745032c06410241f91f10fcec77cbc6828cdbede75f4c08da418fbb. Preserve complete standardized SDF, including CID and explicit hydrogen/bond fields.

  • PubChem 2D SDF 750 — NCBI public data; PubChem standardized structure; credit PubChem; retrieved 2026-10-09. SHA-256 e1c2ddd732cea1d052a9426c9a25fef86acd1309748bb2115cf2b56481ba288f. Preserve complete standardized SDF, including CID and explicit hydrogen/bond fields.

  • PubChem caffeine 3D conformer — NCBI public data; PubChem computed conformer; credit PubChem; retrieved 2026-10-09. SHA-256 2a78d98d09d50768fe3f6e6114d7baf3dad9cf88e41835735f96abf5867f5092. Preserve calculated coordinates and conformer identifiers; not an experimental crystal structure.

Next steps. Transfer these methods to your own public or authorized data while retaining input checks, recorded parameters and result validation. Document the new experimental design and method limits; this example does not validate a new experiment. Full data licenses and generation instructions accompany the cookbook.