Accurate energetics of small molecules containing third-row atoms Ga–Kr: A comparison of advanced ab initio and density functional theory

Prediction of pKa s of Late Transition-Metal Hydrides via a QM/QM Approach

Three implicit solvation models, the conductor-like polarizable continuum model (C-PCM), the conductor-like screening model (COSMO), and universal implicit solvent model (SMD), combined with a hybrid two layer QM/QM approach (ONIOM), were utilized to calculate the pK_a values, using a direct thermodynamic scheme, of a set of Group 10 transition metal (TM) hydrides in acetonitrile. To obtain the optimal combination of quantum methods for ONIOM calculations with implicit solvation models, the influence of factors, such as the choice of density functional and basis set, the atomic radii used to build a cavity in the solvent, and the size of the model system in an ONIOM scheme, was examined. Additionally, the impact of Grimme's empirical dispersion correction and exact exchange was also investigated. The results were calibrated by experimental data. This investigation provides insight about effective models for the prediction of thermodynamic properties of TM-containing complexes with bulky ligands. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Structure and Stability of the Organo-Noble Gas Molecules XNgCCX and XNgCCNgX (Ng = Kr, Ar; X = F, Cl)

Density functional theory (B3LYP) and ab initio theory [second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) and coupled-cluster theory including single, double, and quasiperturbative triple excitations (CCSD(T))] have been used in combination with the standard and augmented correlation consistent basis sets (cc-pVnZ and aug-cc-pVnZ, where n = D, T, and Q) to investigate potential new noble gas compounds. Two classes of molecules were studied: XNgCCNgX and XNgCCX, where Ng = Kr and Ar and X = F and Cl. These molecules were characterized by finding the ground-state structures and calculating the relative energies, charge distributions, and vibrational frequencies. In addition, transition-state structures were also determined and decomposition pathways were identified through intrinsic reaction coordinate calculations.

Auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo study of first- and second-row post-d elements

A series of calculations for the first- and second-row post-d elements (Ga-Br and In-I) are presented using the phaseless auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo (AF QMC) method. This method is formulated in a Hilbert space defined by any chosen one-particle basis and maps the many-body problem into a linear combination of independent-particle solutions with external auxiliary fields. The phase/sign problem is handled approximately by the phaseless formalism using a trial wave function, which in our calculations was chosen to be the Hartree-Fock solution. We used the consistent correlated basis sets of Peterson et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 119, 11099 (2003); 119, 11113 (2003)], which employ a small-core relativistic pseudopotential. The AF QMC results are compared with experiment and with those from density functional (generalized gradient approximation and B3LYP) and CCSD(T) calculations. The AF QMC total energies agree with CCSD(T) to within a few millihartrees across the systems and over several basis sets. The calculated atomic electron affinities, ionization energies, and spectroscopic properties of dimers are, at large basis sets, in excellent agreement with experiment.

Extensive ab initio study of the valence and low-lying Rydberg states of BBr including spin-orbit coupling

The electronic states of the BBr molecule, including 12 valence states and 12 low-lying Rydberg states, have been studied at the theoretical level of MR-CISD+Q with all-electron aug-cc-pVQZ basis sets and Douglas-Kroll [Ann. Phys. (N.Y.) 82, 89 (1974)] scalar relativistic correction. The spin-orbit coupling effect in the valence states was calculated by the state interaction approach with the full Breit-Pauli Hamiltonian. This is the first multireference ab initio study of the excited electronic states of BBr. Potential energy curves of all states were plotted with the help of the avoided crossing rule between electronic states of the same symmetry. The structural properties of these states were analyzed. Computational results reproduced most experimental data well. The transition properties of the a (3)Pi(0(+) ), a (3)Pi(1), and A (1)Pi(1) states to the ground state X (1)Sigma(0(+) ) (+) transitions were obtained, including the transition dipole moments, the Franck-Condon factors, and the radiative lifetimes. The evaluated radiative lifetime of the a (3)Pi(0(+) ), and a (3)Pi(1) states are near 1 ms, much longer than that of the A (1)Pi(1) state.

A Theoretical Study of Properties and Reactions Involving Arsenic and Selenium Compounds Present in Coal Combustion Flue Gases

Species of arsenic and selenium thought to be present in coal combustion flue gases were studied using density functional theory and a broad range of ab initio methods. At each level of theory, the calculated geometries and vibrational frequencies of each species as well as the reaction enthalpies of anticipated reactions were compared with experimental data where available. Comparisons between each calculation are given along with a discussion of the better performance of some theoretical calculations for a given species/reaction.

Relativistic effects determined using the Douglas–Kroll contracted basis sets and correlation consistent basis sets with small-core relativistic pseudopotentials

The coupled cluster approximation with single, double, and quasiperturbative triple excitations [CCSD(T)] was used in combination with the Douglas-Kroll contracted correlation consistent basis sets [cc-pVnZ-DK, where n = D(2), T(3), Q(4), and 5] and small-core relativistic pseudopotentials (PP) with correlation consistent polarized valence basis sets (cc-pVnZ-PP and aug-cc-pVnZ-PP) to investigate the impact of scalar relativistic corrections on energetic and structural properties of small molecules containing third-row (Ga-Kr) atoms. These molecules were taken from the Gaussian-2 extended test set for third-row atoms. Atomization energies, ionization energies, electron affinities, and proton affinities for molecules in the test set were determined and compared with nonrelativistic results which were obtained in a recent study in which the standard and augmented correlation consistent basis sets were used in combination with CCSD(T). Several schemes were used to extrapolate the energies to the complete basis set limit.