Performance of CCSDT for first row AB/AB− diatomics: Dissociation energies and electron affinities

Separated-pair approximation and separated-pair pair-density functional theory

Multi-configuration pair-density functional theory (MC-PDFT) has proved to be a powerful way to combine the capabilities of multi-configuration self-consistent-field theory to represent the an electronic wave function with a highly efficient way to include dynamic correlation energy by density functional theory. All applications reported previously involved complete active space self-consistent-field (CASSCF) theory for the reference wave function. For treating large systems efficiently, it is necessary to ask whether good accuracy is retained when using less complete configuration interaction spaces. To answer this question, we present here calculations employing MC-PDFT with the separated pair (SP) approximation, which is a special case (defined in this article) of generalized active space self-consistent-field (GASSCF) theory in which no more than two orbitals are included in any GAS subspace and in which inter-subspace excitations are excluded. This special case of MC-PDFT will be called SP-PDFT. In SP-PDFT, the electronic kinetic energy and the classical Coulomb energy, the electronic density and its gradient, and the on-top pair density and its gradient are obtained from an SP approximation wave function; the electronic energy is then calculated from the first two of these quantities and an on-top density functional of the last four. The accuracy of the SP-PDFT method for predicting the structural properties and bond dissociation energies of twelve diatomic molecules and two triatomic molecules is compared to the SP approximation itself and to CASSCF, MC-PDFT based on CASSCF, CASSCF followed by second order perturbation theory (CASPT2), and Kohn-Sham density functional theory with the PBE exchange-correlation potential. We show that SP-PDFT reproduces the accuracy of MC-PDFT based on the corresponding CASSCF wave function for predicting C-H bond dissociation energies, the reaction barriers of pericyclic reactions and the properties of open-shell singlet systems, all at only a small fraction of the computational cost.

Accurate calculations on the 22 electronic states and 54 spin-orbit states of the O2 molecule: potential energy curves, spectroscopic parameters and spin-orbit coupling

The potential energy curves (PECs) of 54 spin-orbit states generated from the 22 electronic states of O2 molecule are investigated for the first time for internuclear separations from about 0.1 to 1.0nm. Of the 22 electronic states, the X(3)Σg(-), A(')(3)Δu, A(3)Σu(+), B(3)Σu(-), C(3)Πg, a(1)Δg, b(1)Σg(+), c(1)Σu(-), d(1)Πg, f(1)Σu(+), 1(5)Πg, 1(3)Πu, 2(3)Σg(-), 1(5)Σu(-), 2(1)Σu(-) and 2(1)Δg are found to be bound, whereas the 1(5)Σg(+), 2(5)Σg(+), 1(1)Πu, 1(5)Δg, 1(5)Πu and 2(1)Πu are found to be repulsive ones. The B(3)Σu(-) and d(1)Πg states possess the double well. And the 1(3)Πu, C(3)Πg, A'(3)Δu, 1(5)Δg and 2(5)Σg(+) states are the inverted ones when the spin-orbit coupling is included. The PEC calculations are done by the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) method, which is followed by the internally contracted multireference configuration interaction (icMRCI) approach with the Davidson correction. Core-valence correlation and scalar relativistic corrections are taken into account. The convergence of present calculations is evaluated with respect to the basis set and level of theory. The vibrational properties are discussed for the 1(5)Πg, 1(3)Πu, d(1)Πg and 1(5)Σu(-) states and for the second well of the B(3)Σu(-) state. The spin-orbit coupling effect is accounted for by the state interaction method with the Breit-Pauli Hamiltonian. The PECs of all the electronic states and spin-orbit states are extrapolated to the complete basis set limit. The spectroscopic parameters are obtained, and compared with available experimental and other theoretical results. Analyses demonstrate that the spectroscopic parameters reported here can be expected to be reliably predicted ones. The conclusion is obtained that the effect of spin-orbit coupling on the spectroscopic parameters are small almost for all the electronic states involved in this paper except for the 1(5)Σu(-), 1(5)Πg and 1(3)Πu.

Kinetics studies of the reactions of main fourth-period monocations (Ga+, Ge+, As+, and Se+) with methyl fluoride

Thermodynamics and kinetics theoretical studies on the gas-phase reactions of fluoromethane with main fourth-period monocations (Ga(+), Ge(+), As(+), and Se(+)) have been carried out. Density functional theory (in particular mPW1K functional) was employed in the description of the potential energy surfaces, and refinement of the energies were done at the CCSD(T) level. The reaction rate constants were estimated using variational/conventional microcanonical transition state theory. From a thermodynamic viewpoint, the fluorine abstraction product is predicted for Ga(+) and Ge(+), whereas for As(+) and Se(+) the elimination product, MCH2(+) (M = As, Se) + HF, is the preferred one. Nevertheless, the most favorable channel for the reactions of CH3F with Ga(+) and Se(+) cations present a net activation barrier. In the case of Ga(+), the reaction proceeds via an addition channel forming the adduct complex, CH3FGa(+), whereas for Se(+) no reaction is found, in agreement with the experiments. The predicted reaction rate constants are in reasonable good agreement with the experimental values available. Apart from the harpoon-like mechanism, our results suggest that an oxidative addition mechanism seems to play a relevant role.

Mechanistic Insights into the Aerobic Cu(I)-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of S-Acyl Thiosalicylamide Thiol Esters and Boronic Acids

The Density Functional Theory (DFT) method is used to elucidate the nature of the active species and the mechanism of the aerobic Cu^I-catalyzed cross-coupling of S-acyl thiosalicylamide thiol esters and boronic acids reported previously (J. Am. Chem. Soc.2007, 129, 15734-15735; Angew. Chem., Int. Ed.2009,48, 1417-1421). The energetically lowest isomer of the proposed active species [LC(O)R¹]Cu-(O₂)-Cu[LC(O)R¹]²⁺, 2a, (where L = thiolatosalicylamide) is found to be I1_(OO,OO) with a μ-η²:η²-peroxo Cu₂O₂-core, while its isomers I2_(OO,OO) with a bis-(μ-O) Cu₂O₂-core and I3_(OO,OO) with a (μ-η¹:η¹) Cu₂O₂-core lie only a few kcal/mol higher and separated by 4-7kcal/mol energy barriers. In all these isomers, the thiol ester is coordinated to the Cu-centers via its two O-ends. Isomers with (SO,OO) and (SO,SO) coordination modes of the thiol esters lie slightly higher and are separated with moderate energy barriers. We found the latter isomers to be vital for the reported Cu^I-templated cross-coupling of S-acyl thiosalicylamide thiol esters and boronic acids under aerobic conditions. The presence of an anion (halide, carboxylate modeled as formate) in the reaction medium is found to be necessary. Its coordination to the active catalyst I1_(SO,SO) is the first step of the proposed anion-assisted transmetalation by boronic acid. Overall the transmetalation reaction requires 34.0 kcal/mol and is 24.0 kcal/mol exergonic. This conclusion is in reasonable agreement with available experiments. The C-C bond formation in the transmetalation product requires a 6.3 kcal/mol lower energy barrier and is highly exergonic.

Pseudorotation motion in tetrahydrofuran: an ab initio study

The use of different models based on experimental information about the observed level splitings, rotational constants, and far-infrared transition frequencies leads to different predictions on the equilibrium geometry for tetrahydrofuran. High-level ab initio calculations [coupled cluster singles, doubles (triples)/complete basis set (second order Moller-Plesset triple, quadrupole, quintuple)+zero-point energy(anharmonic)] suggest that the equilibrium conformation of tetrahydrofuran is an envelope C(s) structure. The theoretical geometrical parameters might be helpful to plan further microwave spectroscopic studies in order to get a physical interpretation of the measurements.

An atlas of forecasted molecular data. 2. Vibration frequencies of main-group and transition-metal neutral gas-phase diatomic molecules in the ground state

This atlas of diatomic-molecular vibration frequencies parallels the previously offered Atlas of Internuclear Separations. The Atlas was produced by mining the data from Huber and Herzberg and training neural network software to forecast new data. New protocols were employed with the powerful software, which was originally designed for forecasting the financial markets. The Atlas presents 1920 additional vibration frequencies for use until critical tables are available to fill the needs more precisely. The precision of the predictions is characterized by the average fractional 1% confidence limit, that is, 10.66%. The accuracies of the predictions are determined in two ways. First, 221 of the 224 Huber and Herzberg data values used for training and validation fall within the prediction confidence limits or fall outside by less than 10% of the Huber and Herzberg values, and 181 values agree (within the limits). Second, 87 of 101 comparison data values, consisting of literature data and some additional Huber and Herzberg values, fall within the prediction confidence limits or fall outside by less than half the prediction values, and 44 of the 101 values agree (within the limits).

Electron affinities with diffusion quantum Monte Carlo for C2 and BO molecules

To verify the performance of the fixed-node diffusion quantum Monte Carlo method in electron affinities calculations, the adiabatic electron affinities of C(2) and BO molecules calculated by the fixed-node Ornstein-Uhlenbeck diffusion quantum Monte Carlo simulations guiding by trial wave functions constructed from the floating spherical Gaussian orbitals and spherical Gaussian geminals are presented in this work. The random walk based results, 3.264(43) and 2.507(32) eV for C(2) and BO, respectively, are compared with the available best experimental determined values, 3.269(6) and 2.508(8) eV for C(2) and BO, respectively, and the results of other theoretical calculations.

Theoretical approach to the mechanism of reactions between halogen atoms and unsaturated hydrocarbons: The Cl + propene reaction

The potential energy surface for the Cl + propene reaction was analyzed at the MP2 level using Pople's 6-31G(d,p) and 6-311+G(d,p), and Dunning's cc-pVDZ and aug-cc-pVDZ basis sets. Two different channels for the addition reaction leading to chloroalkyl radicals and five alternative channels for the abstraction reaction leading to C(3)H(5) (.) + HCl were explored. The corresponding energy profiles were computed at the QCISD(T)/aug-cc-pVDZ//MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ level of theory. Theoretical results suggest that the previously established mechanism consisting of (1) direct abstraction and (2) addition-elimination steps is instead made up of (1) addition through an intermediate and (2) two-step abstraction processes. No direct abstraction mechanism exists on the potential energy surface. The kinetic equations derived for the new mechanism are consistent with the pressure dependence experimentally observed for this reaction.

Mechanistic aspects of the abstraction of an allylic hydrogen in the chlorine atom reaction with 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene (isoprene)

The different channels for the abstraction of an allylic hydrogen in the chlorine atom reaction with isoprene were explored using ab initio methodology. It is shown that the metathesis reaction proceeds through an association-elimination mechanism in which a weakly bound intermediate (HCl.C(5)H(7)(*)) is formed first (formal addition). Further evolution by HCl elimination leads to the final C(5)H(7)(*) radical. QCISD(T)/aug-cc-pVDZ//MP2/6-31G(d,p) calculations show that for two of the possible pathways the barrier heights involved are moderate and the formation of the intermediates are exergonic (DeltaG < 0). Therefore, the mechanism proposed is both kinetically and thermodynamically feasible. The pressure dependence experimentally observed for the Cl + isoprene reaction can be rationalized in terms of the association-elimination mechanism proposed.