A multiscale
computational approach was used to investigate
the
interaction, adsorption, and diffusion of three anticancer drugs,
5-fluorouracil (5-FU), busulfan (BU), and cisplatin (CIS), within
the pores of a 2D flexible Zn-based MOF (Zn(BTTB)-MOF) functionalized
with –NH2, –NO2, −OH, and
-SH groups. The DFT analysis results indicated that adding functional
groups to the H3BTTB organic linker created additional
binding sites, resulting in stronger interactions between the drugs
and the modified structures by 17.5% for NO2–Zn(BTTB)-MOF···5-FU
to 115% for OH-Zn(BTTB)-MOF···BU in binding energies.
Our grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) studies revealed that both
functionalized and pristine structures exhibited a high drug-loading
capacity, increasing to ∼13, 15, and 24% for CIS, 5-FU, and
BU, respectively. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations indicated a
decrease in the dynamics of the modified structures as a function
of simulation time, with calculated diffusion coefficients ranging
from (0.78–15.4) × 10–12 m2·s–1, consistent with previous findings in
drug release. The study highlights the significance of adding functional
groups to the Zn(BTTB)-MOF organic linker, as it significantly enhances
the binding energy of anticancer drugs. Functionalized Zn(BTTB)-MOF
enhances drug interactions due to additional binding sites, increasing
drug-loading capacity and resulting in slower drug diffusion, making
it more effective for anticancer drug delivery.