The weak covalent bond in NgAuF (Ng=Ar, Kr, Xe): A challenge for subsystem density functional theory

On the Nature of the Partial Covalent Bond between Noble Gas Elements and Noble Metal Atoms

This article provides a discussion on the nature of bonding between noble gases (Ng) and noble metals (M) from a quantum chemical perspective by investigating compounds such as NgMY (Y=CN, O, NO₃, SO₄, CO₃), [NgM-(bipy)]+, NgMCCH, and MCCNgH complexes, where M=Cu, Ag, Au and Ng=Kr-Rn, with some complexes containing the lighter noble gas atoms as well. Despite having very low chemical reactivity, noble gases have been observed to form weak bonds with noble metals such as copper, gold, and silver. In this study, we explore the factors that contribute to this unusual bonding behavior, including the electronic structure of the atoms involved and the geometric configuration of the concerned fragments. We also investigate the metastable nature of the resulting complexes by studying the energetics of their possible dissociation and internal isomerization channels. The noble gas-binding ability of the bare metal cyanides are higher than most of their bromide counterparts, with CuCN and AgCN showing higher affinity than their chloride analogues as well. In contrast, the oxides seem to have lower binding power than their corresponding halides. In the oxide and the bipyridyl complexes, the Ng-binding ability follows the order Au > Cu > Ag. The dissociation energies calculated, considering the zero-point energy correction for possible dissociation channels, increase as we move down the noble gas group. The bond between the noble gases and the noble metals in the complexes are found to have comparable weightage of orbital and electrostatic interactions, suggestive of a partial covalent nature. The same is validated from the topological analysis of electron density.

Environment Effects on X-Ray Absorption Spectra With Quantum Embedded Real-Time Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory Approaches

In this work we implement the real-time time-dependent block-orthogonalized Manby-Miller embedding (rt-BOMME) approach alongside our previously developed real-time frozen density embedding time-dependent density functional theory (rt-TDDFT-in-DFT FDE) code, and investigate these methods' performance in reproducing X-ray absorption spectra (XAS) obtained with standard rt-TDDFT simulations, for model systems comprised of solvated fluoride and chloride ions ([X@( H 2 O ) 8 - , X = F, Cl). We observe that for ground-state quantities such as core orbital energies, the BOMME approach shows significantly better agreement with supermolecular results than FDE for the strongly interacting fluoride system, while for chloride the two embedding approaches show more similar results. For the excited states, we see that while FDE (constrained not to have the environment densities relaxed in the ground state) is in good agreement with the reference calculations for the region around the K and L1 edges, and is capable of reproducing the splitting of the 1s1 (n + 1)p1 final states (n + 1 being the lowest virtual p orbital of the halides), it by and large fails to properly reproduce the 1s1 (n + 2)p1 states and misses the electronic states arising from excitation to orbitals with important contributions from the solvent. The BOMME results, on the other hand, provide a faithful qualitative representation of the spectra in all energy regions considered, though its intrinsic approximation of employing a lower-accuracy exchange-correlation functional for the environment induces non-negligible shifts in peak positions for the excitations from the halide to the environment. Our results thus confirm that QM/QM embedding approaches are viable alternatives to standard real-time simulations of X-ray absorption spectra of species in complex or confined environments.

Description of intermolecular charge transfer with subsystem density-functional theory

Efficient quantum-chemical methods that are able to describe intermolecular charge transfer are crucial for modeling organic semiconductors. However, the correct description of intermolecular charge transfer with density-functional theory (DFT) is hampered by the fractional charge error of approximate exchange-correlation (xc) functionals. Here, we investigate the charge transfer induced by an external electric field in a tetrathiafulvalene-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TTF-TCNQ) complex as a test case. For this seemingly simple model system, a supermolecular DFT treatment fails with most conventional xc functionals. Here, we present an extension of subsystem DFT to subsystems with a fractional number of electrons. We show that within such a framework, it becomes possible to overcome the fractional charge error by enforcing the correct dependence of each subsystem's total energy on the subsystem's fractional charge. Such a subsystem DFT approach allows for a correct description of the intermolecular charge transfer in the TTF-TCNQ model complex. The approach presented here can be generalized to larger molecular aggregates and will thus allow for modeling organic semiconductor materials accurately and efficiently.

σ-Aromatic cyclic M3+ (M = Cu, Ag, Au) clusters and their complexation with dimethyl imidazol-2-ylidene, pyridine, isoxazole, furan, noble gases and carbon monoxide

The structure, stability, bonding and σ-aromaticity in dimethyl imidazol-2-ylidene, pyridine, isoxazole, furan, noble gas and carbon monoxide bound M₃⁺ (M = Cu, Ag, Au) complexes are analyzed.

Frozen density embedding with non-integer subsystems' particle numbers

We extend the frozen density embedding theory to non-integer subsystems' particles numbers. Different features of this formulation are discussed, with special concern for approximate embedding calculations. In particular, we highlight the relation between the non-integer particle-number partition scheme and the resulting embedding errors. Finally, we provide a discussion of the implications of the present theory for the derivative discontinuity issue and the calculation of chemical reactivity descriptors.

A theoretical study of stabilities, reactivities and bonding properties of XKrOH (X = F, Cl, Br and I) as potential new krypton compounds using coupled cluster, MP2 and DFT calculations

DFT andAb initiocalculations were employed to disclose the conceivable existence of new noble gas molecules, XKrOH.

Ab initio study of the organic xenon insertion compound into ethylene and ethane

This paper studies Xe-insertion ethylene and ethane compounds, i.e., HXeC2H3 and HXeC2H5. The structures, harmonic frequencies, and energetics for both molecules have been calculated at the MP2(full)/6-311++G(2d,2p) level. Our theoretical results predict the existence of HXeC2H3 and the instability of HXeC2H5. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis shows a strong ionic bond between the xenon atom and hydrocarbon radical. In addition, the interaction between the donor (Xe lone pair) and acceptor (the C-C antibonding orbital, i.e., π*(C-C)) increases the stability of HXeC2H3.

On the accuracy of frozen density embedding calculations with hybrid and orbital-dependent functionals for non-bonded interaction energies

We analyze the accuracy of the frozen density embedding (FDE) method, with hybrid and orbital-dependent exchange-correlation functionals, for the calculation of the total interaction energies of weakly interacting systems. Our investigation is motivated by the fact that these approaches require, in addition to the non-additive kinetic energy approximation, also approximate non-additive exact-exchange energies. Despite this further approximation, we find that the hybrid/orbital-dependent FDE approaches can reproduce the total energies with the same accuracy (about 1 mHa) as the one of conventional semi-local functionals. In many cases, thanks to error cancellation effects, hybrid/orbital-dependent approaches yield even the smallest error. A detailed energy-decomposition investigation is presented. Finally, the Becke-exchange functional is found to reproduce accurately the non-additive exact-exchange energies also for non-equilibrium geometries. These performances are rationalized in terms of a reduced-gradient decomposition of the non-additive exchange energy.

Investigation of gold fluorides and noble gas complexes by matrix-isolation spectroscopy and quantum-chemical calculations

Noble with a difference: Matrix-isolation experiments and quantum-chemical calculations have led to the characterization of two new compounds, namely first open-shell binary gold fluoride, AuF(2), and a NeAuF complex. Moreover, ArAuF, AuF(3), Au(2)F(6), and monomeric AuF(5) have been produced and identified under cryogenic conditions in neon and argon matrices.

PyADF--a scripting framework for multiscale quantum chemistry

Applications of quantum chemistry have evolved from single or a few calculations to more complicated workflows, in which a series of interrelated computational tasks is performed. In particular multiscale simulations, which combine different levels of accuracy, typically require a large number of individual calculations that depend on each other. Consequently, there is a need to automate such workflows. For this purpose we have developed PYADF, a scripting framework for quantum chemistry. PYADF handles all steps necessary in a typical workflow in quantum chemistry and is easily extensible due to its object-oriented implementation in the Python programming language. We give an overview of the capabilities of PYADF and illustrate its usefulness in quantum-chemical multiscale simulations with a number of examples taken from recent applications.