Ab initio melting curve of copper by the phase coexistence approach

Ab initio calculations of the melting properties of copper in the pressure range 0-100 GPa are reported. The ab initio total energies and ionic forces of systems representing solid and liquid copper are calculated using the projector augmented wave implementation of density functional theory with the generalized gradient approximation for exchange-correlation energy. An initial approximation to the melting curve is obtained using an empirical reference system based on the embedded-atom model, points on the curve being determined by simulations in which solid and liquid coexist. The approximate melting curve so obtained is corrected using calculated free energy differences between the reference and ab initio system. It is shown that for system-size errors to be rendered negligible in this scheme, careful tuning of the reference system to reproduce ab initio energies is essential. The final melting curve is in satisfactory agreement with extrapolated experimental data available up to 20 GPa, and supports the validity of previous calculations of the melting curve up to 100 GPa.     

Sensitivity of the H + CH3 → CH4 recombination rate constant to the shape of the CH stretching potential

Using a potential-energy surface obtained in part from ab initio calculations, the H + CH₃ → CH₄ bimolecular rate constant at T = 300 K is determined from a Monte Carlo classical trajectory study. Representing the CH stretching potential with a standard Morse function instead ofthe ab initio curve increases the calculated rate constant by an order of magnitude. The experimental recombination rate constant is intermediate of the rate constants calculated with the Morse and ab initio stretching potentials.Two properties of the H + CH₃ α CH₄ potential-energy surface which significantly affect the recombination rate constant are the shape of the CH stretching potential and the attenuation of the H₃CH bending frequencies. Ab initio calculations with a hierarchy of basis sets and treatment of electron correlation indicate the latter is properly described [13]. The exact shape of the CH stretching potential is not delineated by the ab initio calculations, since the ab initio calculations are not converged for bond lengths of 2.0–3.0 Å [12]. However, the form of this stretching potential deduced from the highest-level ab initio calculations, and fit analytically by eq. (2), is significantly different from a Morse function. The experimental recombination rate constant is intermediate of the rate constants calculated with the Morse and ab initio CH stretching potentials. This indicates that the actual CH potential energy curve lies between the Morse and ab initio curves. This is consistent with the finding that potential energy curves for diatomics are not well described by a Morse function [12].     

Absolute intensities of CH stretching overtones in alkenes

We have measured the CH stretching vibrational spectrum of ethene gas in the regions corresponding to 1-5 quanta in the CH stretching vibration with Fourier transform infrared and conventional absorption spectroscopy and have determined the corresponding oscillator strengths. We have calculated the CH stretching vibrational oscillator strengths for a series of alkenes: ethene, propene, 1,3-butadiene, cis-2-butene, and trans-2-butene. The CH stretching intensities are calculated with a simple Morse oscillator local mode model for CH groups and with the harmonically coupled anharmonic oscillator local mode model for CH2 and CH3 groups. The local mode parameters, frequencies, and anharmonicities are obtained from experiments. The harmonic coupling coefficients and the dipole moment functions are calculated with a range of ab initio methods. These include self-consistent-field Hartree-Fock, density functional, correlated, and multireference theories, combined with basis sets ranging from double- to quadruple-zeta quality augmented with polarization and diffuse functions. Variation in calculated oscillator strengths with the choice of ab initio method is systematically studied and compared with observed intensities. From this comparison between the calculated and observed values, we can quantitatively understand the relative usefulness of various ab initio dipole moment functions in calculations of vibrational oscillator strength for alkenes.     

Influence of the interaction potential on simulated sputtering and reflection data

The TRIM.SP program which is based on the binary collision approximation was changed to handle not only repulsive interaction potentials, but also potentials with an attractive part. Sputtering yields, average depth and reflection coefficients calculated with four different potentials are compared. Three purely repulsive potentials (Molière, Kr-C and ZBL) are used and an ab initio pair potential, which is especially calculated for silicon bombardment by silicon. The general trends in the calculated results are similar for all potentials applied, but differences between the repulsive potentials and the ab initio potential occur for the reflection coefficients and the sputtering yield at large angles of incidence.     

New theoretical insight into the interactions and properties of formic acid: development of a quantum-based pair potential for formic acid

We performed ab initio quantum-chemical studies for the development of intra- and intermolecular interaction potentials for formic acid for use in molecular-dynamics simulations of formic acid molecular crystal. The formic acid structures considered in the ab initio studies include both the cis and trans monomers which are the conformers that have been postulated as part of chains constituting liquid and crystal phases under extreme conditions. Although the cis to trans transformation is not energetically favored, the trans isomer was found as a component of stable gas-phase species. Our decomposition scheme for the interaction energy indicates that the hydrogen-bonded complexes are dominated by the Hartree-Fock forces while parallel clusters are stabilized by the electron correlation energy. The calculated three-body and higher interactions are found to be negligible, thus rationalizing the development of an atom-atom pair potential for formic acid based on high-level ab initio calculations of small formic acid clusters. Here we present an atom-atom pair potential that includes both intra- and inter molecular degrees of freedom for formic acid. The newly developed pair potential is used to examine formic acid in the condensed phase via molecular-dynamics simulations. The isothermal compression under hydrostatic pressure obtained from molecular-dynamics simulations is in good agreement with experiment. Further, the calculated equilibrium melting temperature is found to be in good agreement with experiment.     

Study of ab initio molecular data for inelastic and reactive collisions involving the H3+ quasimolecule

The lowest two ab initio potential energy surfaces (PES), and the corresponding nonadiabatic couplings between them, have been obtained for the H3+ system; the molecular data are compared to those calculated with the diatomic in molecules (DIM) method. The form of the couplings is discussed in terms of the topology of the molecular structure of the triatomic. The method of Baer is employed to generate "diabatic" states and the residual nonadiabatic couplings are calculated. The ab initio results for these are markedly different from the corresponding DIM data, and show the need to consider the third PES.     

First principles semiclassical calculations of vibrational eigenfunctions

Vibrational eigenfunctions are calculated on-the-fly using semiclassical methods in conjunction with ab initio density functional theory classical trajectories. Various semiclassical approximations based on the time-dependent representation of the eigenfunctions are tested on an analytical potential describing the chemisorption of CO on Cu(100). Then, first principles semiclassical vibrational eigenfunctions are calculated for the CO(2) molecule and its accuracy evaluated. The multiple coherent states initial value representations semiclassical method recently developed by us has shown with only six ab initio trajectories to evaluate eigenvalues and eigenfunctions at the accuracy level of thousands trajectory semiclassical initial value representation simulations.     

生物体系中电子转移机理的理论研究Ⅰ: 一种计算电子转移 的方法及在螺环化 合物中的应用

应用"相应轨道变换"和"广义"密度矩阵的方法,向MOPAC程序包中加入了新的功能,使其能处理电子转移反应中的部分参数。然后用此程序包中AM1方法对具有螺环结构的分子进行处理,计算了化合物在不同外加电场强度下的势能面、反应热ΔE,重组能λ及电子转移矩阵元V~A~B,结果表明,λ,V~A~B受外加电场的影响较小,而ΔE则与之成正比。对标题化合物1的计算结果也同abinitio法的结果进行了比较,发现其变化趋势完全一致,这说明本方法在计算电子转移方面是可靠的。与abinitio方法相比,本程序不仅适用于计算较大体系(如生物大分子),而且还具有速度快,耗时少的优点。     

Thermodynamic properties of ionic liquids-a cluster approach

We describe a method for calculating thermodynamic properties of ionic liquids by using standard quantum statistical thermodynamics as characterized by ab initio techniques. We review briefly how thermochemical properties for different sized clusters of ionic liquids are calculated by standard ab initio programs. The cluster partition functions allow one to calculate energies, enthalpies and Gibbs energies. Assuming that the ionic liquid exists exclusively as isolated ion-pairs in the gaseous phase and regarding the largest clusters as possible liquid structures, we could estimate vapor pressures, enthalpies of vaporization and entropies of vaporization. For possible boiling points it is shown how they vary with pressure.     

Ab initio calculations of the melting temperatures of refractory bcc metals

We present ab initio calculations of the melting temperatures for bcc metals Nb, Ta and W. The calculations combine phase coexistence molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using classical embedded-atom method potentials and ab initio density functional theory free energy corrections. The calculated melting temperatures for Nb, Ta and W are, respectively, within 3%, 4%, and 7% of the experimental values. We compare the melting temperatures to those obtained from direct ab initio molecular dynamics simulations and see if they are in excellent agreement with each other. The small remaining discrepancies with experiment are thus likely due to inherent limitations associated with exchange-correlation energy approximations within density-functional theory.     

Conformational dependence of Raman frequencies and intensities in alkanes and polyethylene

Raman vibrational frequencies and intensities of octane, dodecane and hexadecane conformers have been calculated using quantum mechanical ab initio methods. The results agree with various trends observed in the experimental spectra of alkanes, as well as several observations from the experimental Raman spectra of polyethylenes. The present data suggest that ab initio calculated Raman data on alkanes provide valuable information regarding the interpretation of polymer Raman spectra, in particular concerning issues where interpretation based on experimental verification is not possible.     

Ab initio study of L-orientational defect in the hydrogen-bonded pattern of liquid water

Current status of the theory of orientational defects in H-bonded pattern of liquid water is briefly reviewed. Ab initio calculated water clusters from dimer to heptamer are thoroughly analyzed in terms of H-bonded pattern. New water heptamer structure of norbornane type is found via ab initio HF 6-311G** calculation. Its normal vibrations are properly assigned. Two ab initio water hexamers that refer to orientational defects are revealed. This is the first evidence of ab initio orientational defect in H-bonded patterns of water clusters. Some properties including normal vibrations of these defects, are studied.     

Ab initio rate constants from hyperspherical quantum scattering: application to H + CH4 --> H2 + CH3

A general and practical procedure is described for calculating rate constants for chemical reactions using a minimal number of ab initio calculations and quantum-dynamical computations. The method exploits a smooth interpolating functional developed in the hyperspherical representation. This functional is built from two Morse functions and depends on a relatively small number of parameters with respect to conventional functionals developed to date. Thus only a small number of ab initio points needs to be computed. The method is applied to the H + CH4 --> H2 + CH3 reaction. The quantum scattering calculations are performed treating explicitly the bonds being broken and formed. All the degrees of freedom except the breaking and forming bonds are optimized ab initio and harmonic vibrational frequencies and zero-point energies for them are calculated at the MP2(full) level with a cc-pVTZ basis set. Single point energies are calculated at a higher level of theory with the same basis set, namely CCSD(T, full). We report state-to-state cross sections and thermal rate constants for the title reaction and make comparisons with previous results. The calculated rate constants are in good agreement with experiments.     

Hydrogen bonded OH-stretching vibration in the water dimer

We have calculated the frequencies and intensities of the hydrogen-bonded OH-stretching transitions in the water dimer complex. The potential-energy curve and dipole-moment function are calculated ab initio at the coupled cluster with singles, doubles, and perturbative triples level of theory with correlation-consistent Dunning basis sets. The vibrational frequencies and wavefunctions are found from a numerical solution to a one-dimensional Schr?dinger equation. The corresponding transition intensities are found from numerical integration of these vibrational wavefunctions with the ab initio calculated dipole moment function. We investigate the effect of counterpoise correcting both the potential-energy surface and dipole-moment function. We find that the effect of using a numeric potential is significant for higher overtones and that inclusion of a counterpoise correction for basis set superposition error is important.     

致癌性胺离子反应过程中电荷和化学位移的计算

应用原子-键电负性均衡方法中的σπ模型(ABEEMσπ)计算了由致癌性胺离子所参与的反应过程中的电荷分布,所计算出的电荷分布可以和从头算很好的相关联,并且所需要的时间也大大的缩短;同时应用从头计算程序计算致癌性胺离子反应过程中的NMR化学位移.结果表明,在反应过程中电荷的变化和NMR化学位移的变化有很好的对应关系.     

Comparison of AM1 and PM3 semiempirical to ab initio methods in the study of Diels-Alder reactions of butadiene and cyclopentadiene with cyanoethylenes

Assuming a concerted synchronous mechanism with one transition state of the Diels-Alder reactions, the structures of the transition states and the activation energies for the reactions of butadiene and cyclopentadiene with cyanoethylenes were calculated by AM1 and PM3 semiempirical methods. The structural parameters were compared with those obtained by high level Gaussian calculations, whereas the activation energies were compared both with the ab initio calculations and those obtained experimentally. The structural properties calculated with PM3 methods are in general in better agreement with the ab initio calculations. The low level ab initio calculations are in many cases worse than the semiempirical methods. All predicted activation energies with both semiempirical methods are up to 300% higher than the experimental values. The predicted reactivity is also opposite to the experimental data. Only the very high level Gaussian calculations are in good correlation with experimental results. The predicted selectivity of the reaction is also opposite to the experimental facts. Two explanations are offered for this discrepancy: AM1 and PM3 methods cannot handle the calculation of the concerted Diels-Alder transition states and are not recommended to be used for that purpose, or this Diels-Alder reaction is not concerted but is stepwise.     

Ab initio and DFT studies of the vibrational spectra of benzofuran and some of its derivatives

The vibrational spectra of benzofuran and some of its derivatives have been systematically investigated by ab initio and density functional B3LYP methods. The harmonic vibrational wavenumbers and intensity of vibrational bands were calculated at ab initio and DFT levels invoking different basis sets up to 6-311++g**. Vibrational assignments have been made and it has been found that the calculated DFT frequencies agree well in most cases with the observed frequencies for each molecule. Conformational studies have also been carried out and it is evident from ab initio calculations that 2(3H) benzofuranone is more stable than 3(2H) benzofuranone in support to our earlier semiempirical results.     

Spectroscopy of K+ x Rg and transport coefficients of K+ in Rg (Rg=He-Rn)

Ab initio calculations employing the coupled-cluster method, with single and double substitutions and accounting for triple excitations noniteratively [CCSD(T)], are used to obtain accurate potential energy curves for the K(+)He, K(+)Ne, K(+)Ar, K(+)Kr, K(+)Xe, and K(+)Rn cationic complexes. From these potentials, rovibrational energy levels and spectroscopic parameters are calculated. In addition, mobilities and diffusion coefficients for K(+) cations moving through the six rare gases are calculated, under conditions that match previous experimental determinations. A detailed statistical comparison of the present and previous potentials is made with available experimental data, and critical conclusions are drawn as to the reliability of each set of data. It is concluded that the present ab initio potentials match the accuracy of the best model potentials and the most reliable experimental data.     

Ab initio study on far-infrared spectra of dihalodiammine complexes of palladium(II) and platinum(II).

The far-infrared spectra of dihalodiammine complexes of Pd(II) and Pt(II) are calculated using ab initio method at RHF/LANL2DZ level. The calculated vibrational frequencies are in good agreement with the experimental ones except for M-N stretching frequencies in cis-M(NH3)2X2 complexes, and the reason for the deviation is discussed.     

烷基自由基β位裂解反应类反应势垒与速率常数的精确计算

提出反应类等键方法并用于高温燃烧机理中一类重要反应——烷基自由基β位裂解反应的反应势垒和速率常数的精确校正计算. 通过10种不同从头算水平对类反应中5个代表反应的反应势垒的计算发现, 用反应类等键反应方法和直接从头算方法获得的5 个代表反应的反应势垒最大绝对偏差的平均值分别为5.32 和16.16 kJ·mol^-1, 表明反应类等键反应方法计算的反应势垒对不同水平从头算方法的依赖性小, 可在较低从头算水平计算得到精确的反应势垒, 解决大分子体系反应势垒的精确计算问题. 此外应用反应类等键反应方法在BHandHLYP/cc-pVDZ 从头算水平计算了3 个代表反应的速率常数, 并与文献报道的实验值进行了比较, 其在500-2000 K温度区间内计算速率常数与实验速率常数中较大值与较小值的比值k_max/k_min的平均值为1.67, 最大值也仅有2.49. 表明应用反应类等键反应方法在较低从头算水平即可对同类反应的速率常数进行精确计算.最后在BHandHLYP/cc-pVDZ从头算水平用反应类等键反应方法计算了13个烷基自由基β位裂解反应的速率常数.