Characterisation of the chemical and biological properties of molecules with QSAR/QSPR and chemical grouping, and its application to a group of alkyl ethers
Harri Niska, K. Tuppurainen, Jukka-Pekka Skön, A.K. Mallett, Mikko Kolehmainen · SAR and QSAR in environmental research · 2008
This study presents a QSAR/QSPR modelling and chemical grouping (read-across) approach to provide information on the biological properties of a group of aliphatic ethers, with accurate biological predictions restricted to those physico-chemical and (eco)toxicological properties where the performance of QSAR/QSPR has been shown to be acceptable. The mathematical methods used ranged from multivariate regression models to PLS (partial least-squares), SVM (support vector machines) and Sammon's mapping. A novel grouping approach, based on a set of key descriptors, has been proposed to give a compact picture of the structural and biological properties of the compounds, and to provide a more mechanistic basis for the interpretations of chemical groups. Besides being a straightforward case study, the paper also exemplifies the capabilities and limitations of the methods in predictive toxicology on a more general level.