Hydrogen bonds: a comparison of semiempirical and ab initio treatments

H-bonding interactions calculated using the AM1, PM3 and SAM1 semiempirical molecular orbital methods are compared with the best available ab initio calculations for several intermolecular interactions of interest: acetic acid dimers, water/ acetylene, water/HCN, formaldehyde/acetylene, formaldehyde/HCN, ozone/acetylene, ozone/HCN, acetylacetone, melamine/ cyanuric acid, and nitromethane/ammonia. Experimental values are also presented where available. The energetic comparisons are based upon enthalpies of interaction from the ab initio calculations after counterpoise and vibrational corrections have been applied. Overall, AM1 seems to do best, except for O---H…O interactions, where none of the three methods excel.     

Computation of the influence of chemical substitution on the pK a of pyridine using semiempirical and ab initio methods

The physical properties of chemicals are strongly influenced by their protonation state, affecting, for example, solubility or hydrogen-bonding characteristics. The ability to accurately calculate protonation states in the form of pK _as is, therefore, desirable. Calculations of pK _a changes in a series of substituted pyridines are presented. Computations were performed using both ab initio and semiempirical approaches, including free energies of solvation via reaction-field models. The selected methods are readily accessible with respect to both software and computational feasibility. Comparison of calculated and experimental pK _as shows the experimental trends to be reasonably reproduced by the computations with root-mean-square differences ranging from 1.22 to 4.14 pK _a units. Of the theoretical methods applied the best agreement occurred using the second-order M?ller–Plesset/6-31G(d)/isodensity surface polarized continuum solvation model, while the more computationally accessible Austin model 1/Solvent model 2 (SM2) approach yielded results similar to the ab initio methods. Analysis of component contributions to the calculated pK _as indicates the largest source of error to be associated with the free energies of solvation of the protonated species followed by the gas-phase protonation energies; while the latter may be improved via the use of higher levels of theory, enhancements in the former require improvements in the solvation models. The inclusion of alternate minimum in the computation of pK _as is also indicated to contribute to differences between experimental and calculated pK _a values. Received: 27 April 1999 / Accepted: 27 July 1999 / Published online: 2 November 1999     

Vibrational study of dialkylphosphonates: di-n-propyl- and di-i-propylphosphonates by semiempirical and ab initio methods

Fourier transform infrared and Fourier transform Raman spectra of n-C(3)H(7) and i-C(3)H(7) dialkylphosphonates have been obtained. Semiempirical AM1 and the ab initio orbital molecular RHF/6-31G* theories have been used to study the molecular geometry, and the harmonic vibrational spectra with the purpose to assist the experimental assignments of these compounds. An extensive discussion on the assignment of the C-C, C-O, P-O and P=O stretching is carried out based on experimental data of compounds which have the propyl and isopropyl groups, as well as comparing the vibrational spectra of propane. Most of the RHF/6-31G* and AM1 results, once applied the appropriate scaling factor, showed an excellent agreement with the experimental wavenumbers. A few calculated frequencies related to CC and CO stretching do not agree well with the experimental trends.     

Prediction of geometries and interaction energies of complexes formed by small molecules using semiempirical and ab initio methods

The accuracy of the semiempirical quantum mechanics methods (AM1 and PM3), and the ab initio methods (6-31G^** and MP2/6-31G^**) in predicting intermolecular geometries and interaction energies have been evaluated by detailed studies of 17 bimolecular complexes formed by small molecules. Comparisons between calculated and experimental geometries for 12 complexes are presented. It was found that AM1 gave reasonably good predictions of the geometries of complexes such as CH₄ · CH₄, which have very weak interactions, but it is not as good as other methods in predicting intermolecular geometry for complexes where hydrogen bonding interactions play an important role. This is consistent with its inability to reproduce the charge transfer in the formation of hydrogen bonds in these complexes.

PM3 is able to predict intermolecular geometries for most complexes, including those with hydrogen bonding; its major flaw is its tendency to overestimate the strength of the interactions between hydrogen atoms. Care should be taken therefore in using PM3 to study complicated molecular systems with multiple hydrogen atom interactions and the method's weakness in handling complexes in which electrostatic forces are important should also be noted.

Among ab initio methods, both the 6-31G^** and the MP2/6-31G^** were found to outperform AM1 and PM3 in prediction of intermolecular geometry. Both of these ab initio methods showed excellent consistency in geometry prediction for most of the complexes studied, although MP2/6-31G^** is better than 6-31G^**. It is noted that the MP2/6-31G^** did not produce the correct geometry for the CO₂· HF complex.

For 12 complexes for which experimental geometry data are available, AM1, PM3, 6-31G^**, and MP2/6-31G^** successfully predicted the geometry in 10, 12, 12, and 11 cases, respectively. The average errors given by AM1 in the predicted intermolecular distances were 0.264, 0.272, 0.091, and 0.061 Å, respectively. In comparison to the ab initio methods, AM1 and PM3 commonly underestimated the molecular interaction energy in such complexes by ˜ 1–2 kcal mol⁻¹.     

Comparative study between ab initio and semiempirical electrostatic potentials on molecular surfaces

The electrostatic potentials of 21 molecules containing different functional groups has been computed at the ab initio RHF/6-31G* level on a series of solvent accessible surfaces and compared with MNDO, AM1, and PM3-derived pontentials. We analyzed in detail the distribution of electrostatic potentials on the surfaces around their maximum and minimum values and found out that consistently MNDO gives results similar to ab initio potentials. The actual values of the MNDO electrostatic potentials show a systematic deviation from the “correct” results, but the pattern of the MEP distribution on the surface is similar to that of the ab initio results. In contrast, PM3 fails in some cases to give even the correct number or distribution of “hot spots” of potential (low MEP) on the surface. AM1 behaves somewhere between these two semiempirical methods. As a conclusion, MNDO would be suggested as the best approach to analyses requiring a fast and efficient mapping of electrostatic potentials on simplified models of molecular surfaces. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Structures and energies of D-galactose and galabiose conformers as calculated by ab initio and semiempirical methods

Optimized geometries and total energies of some conformers of alpha- and beta-D-galactose have been calculated using the RHF/6-31G* ab initio method. Vibrational frequencies were computed at the 6-31G* level for the conformers that favor internal hydrogen bonding, in order to evaluate their enthalpies, entropies, Gibbs free energies, and then their structural stabilities. The semiempirical AM1, PM3, MNDO methods have also been performed on the conformers GG, GT, and TG of alpha- and beta-D-galactose. In order to test the reliability of each semiempirical method, the obtained structures and energies from the AM1, PM3, and MNDO methods have been compared to those achieved using the RHF/6-31G* ab initio method. The MNDO method has not been investigated further, because of the large deviation in the structural parameters compared with those obtained by the ab initio method for the galactose. The semiempirical method that has yielded the best results is AM1, and it has been chosen to perform structural and energy calculations on the galabiose molecule (the disaccharides constituted by two galactose units alpha 1,4 linked). The goal of such calculations is to draw the energy surface maps for this disaccharide. To realize each map, 144 different possible conformations resulting from the rotations of the two torsional angles psi and phi of the glycosidic linkage are considered. In each calculation, at each increment of psi and phi, using a step of 30 degrees from 0 to 330 degrees, the energy optimization is employed. In this article, we report also calculations concerning the galabiose molecule using different ab initio levels such as RHF/6-31G*, RHF/6-31G**, and B3Lyp/6-31G*.     

Calculation of nuclear quadrupole coupling constants in pyrazole and imidazole from ab initio wavefunctions

The nuclear quadrupole coupling constants and asymmetry parameters of ¹⁴N and ²H of pyrazole and imidazole have been computed from ab initio SCF wavefunctions of double-zeta quality. The results agree with the recent experimental values obtained from microwave studies and are much better than those of previous theoretical studies.     

Electronic structure of testosterone: A semiempirical and ab initio assessment

Testosterone (17β-hydroxy-4-androsten-3-one) was studied by the semiempirical AM1 and PM3 and ab initio STO-3G^*, 3–21G^*, and 6–31G^* methods. The goals were to compare those methods and to know the electronic structure of the hormone. Full geometry optimization was performed, and two crystal conformers (T1 and T2), and experimental dipole moment in solution were used for comparison. One conformer with a dipole moment similar to the solvated conditions was generated. Total energy, entalphies, dipole moments, charges, electrostatic potentials, and highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) were calculated. Root-mean-square (RMS) index of the theoretical molecules against T1 and T2 showed best results with the 3–21G^* and 6–31G^* methods, while AM1 gave better energies than PM3. Dipole moments were directed toward the OH group and the botton face of the A ring. The frontier orbitals were located along the C4–C5 π bond, particularly the LUMO was split between C4 and C5, predicting the action of enzymes at C5 yielding to 5α and 5β-reduced androgens. Electrostatic potentials might be also of biological importance since they are coincidental with the dipole-moment orientation. Finally, it is interesting that the solvatedlike conformer, its properties, and the OH group laid between the same group of T1 and T2 and with a total energy between the crystals and the gas phase or in vacuo conditions. This results might also explain the biology of testosterone and use them to model the hormone-receptor interaction. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Hydrogen bonds with pi and sigma electrons as the multicenter proton acceptors: high level ab initio calculations

Pi-electrons of acetylene and sigma-electrons of molecular hydrogen were investigated as Lewis bases in different complexes. Hence high level ab initio calculations were performed up to the MP2/6-311++G(3df,3pd) level of approximation. It was found that species analyzed possess characteristics typical for H-bonded systems. The Bader theory was additionally applied; bond paths between proton and pi-electrons of acetylene or sigma-electrons of molecular hydrogen were detected with the corresponding bond critical points attributed to the proton-acceptor interactions. Numerous correlations between topological, geometrical and energetic parameters were also found. For example, the H...pi or H...sigma interaction is stronger for the shorter corresponding distance between the proton and the middle of C[triple bond]C or H-H bond. It is connected with the greater elongation of C[triple bond]C or H-H bonds and the greater transfer of electron charge from the Lewis base to the Lewis acid.     

A theoretical study of the rotational isomers of nitrosomethanol by semiempirical (AM1) and ab initio methods

The conformational potential energy surface as a function of the two internal torsion angles in C-nitrosomethanol has been obtained using the semiempirical AM1 method. Optimized geometries are reported for the local minima on this surface and also for the corresponding points on the HF/6-31G, 6-31G*, and 6-31G** surfaces. All methods predict cis and trans minima which occur in degenerate pairs, each pair being connected by a transition state of C_s symmetry. The AM1 structures are found to compare well with the corresponding ab initio structures. Ab initio HF/6-31G and HF/6-31G* harmonic vibrational frequencies are reported for the cis and trans forms of nitrosomethanol. When scaled appropriately the calculated frequencies are found to compare well with experimental frequencies. The ab initio calculations predict the energy barrier for cis → trans isomerization to be between 5.8 and 6.5 kcal/mol with the trans → cis isomerization barrier lying between 2.3 and 6.5 kcal/mol. The corresponding AM1 energy barriers are around 1 kcal/mol lower in energy. The ab initio calculations predict the barrier to conversion between the two cis rotamers to be very small with the AM1 value being around 1 kcal/mol. Both AM1 and ab initio calculations predict interconversion between trans rotamers to require between 1.2 and 1.4 kcal/mol.     

Diagrams of isoshielding lines of C-N bonds and nitrogen and phosphorus lone pairs

Diagrams of isoshielding lines in the vicinity of lone pairs of nitrogen and phosphorus atoms, as well as a C-N bond, have been calculated. The magnetic shielding constants of the protons were calculated by the gauge-invariant atomic-orbital method with the use of localized molecular orbitals and expansions of the atomic wave functions in Gaussian functions. The diagrams of the isoshielding lines have been used for the evaluation of chemical shifts in piperidine derivatives for the purpose of accounting for the experimentally observed tendencies in chemical shifts.Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Éksperimental'naya Khimiya, Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 460–465, July–August, 1985.     

烷基锂分子中化学键的 ab initio 研究

本文用6-13G基函对3-12G基优化构型进行单点ab initio (从头计算法) 计算, 并根据轨道的组合系数、电荷密度图和键强参数等详尽地分析了烷基锂分子的成键情况。烷基锂的易挥发、易聚合、聚合物易溶于烃类溶剂中等物理、化学性质主要是其C－Li键具有显著的共价性缘故。由于烷基锂的C-Li键比C－H和C－C键的强度要小,故C-Li键易于断裂,使烷基锂表现有高的化学反应活性。     

Structure of dicyano-pyridinium methylide and amidocyano-pyridinium methylide using ab initio and semi-empirical methods

Taking into account the X-ray diffraction patterns of dicyano-pyridinium methylide and amidocyano-pyridinium methylide, comparative ab initio and semi-empirical studies have been performed. The aim of this study is to elucidate some electronic and structural properties of the cycloimmonium ylides. In fact, we found that the positive charge of the ylide nitrogen atom is delocalized on the pyridine ring. The ylide carbon atom is found to be insignificantly charged. This proves that the formal negative charge often accepted for the ylidic carbanion is delocalized. Thus, we demonstrate the existence of the resonance interaction between the ylidic carbanion and the positive aromatic ring as a factor of stability for planar cycloimmonium ylides. The negative charges found for the cyclic carbon atoms adjacent to the ylide nitrogen atom precludes any nucleophilic addition on the α carbon atoms in the heterocyclic ring. This is in good agreement with the experiments, where no nucleophilic addition on such atoms has ever been observed. Among the six semi-empirical methods used in this paper, the AM1 method is the most appropriate in the study of planar cycloimmonium ylides. This method is found to reproduce the experimental values and ab initio results with good accuracy.     

A comparison of semiempirical and ab initio transition states for HF elimination in unimolecular decompositions

The transition states for unimolecular HF elimination from a series of methylene halides and vinyl halides have been located and properly characterized at the AM 1, MNDO , PM 3, RHF /6-311G (d, p), and MP 2/6-311G (d, p) levels. Whereas the semiempirical MO methods deal well with the structures of the stable molecules, the structural differences between the ab initio and semiempirical transition states are considerably larger. The AM 1 and PM 3 activation energies appear to be relatively more accurate. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

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.     

A comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) study using semiempirical, density functional, ab initio methods and pharmacophore derivation using DISCOtech on sigma 1 ligands

The Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) was developed to investigate a three-dimensional quantitative structure activity relationship (3D-QSAR) model of ligands for the sigma 1 receptor. The starting geometry of sigma-1 receptor ligands was obtained from the Tripos force field minimizations and conformations were decided from DISCOtech using the SYBYL 6.8. program. The structures of 48 molecules were fully optimized at the ab initio HF/3-21G* and semiempirical AM1 calculations using GAUSSIAN 98. The electrostatic charges were calculated using several methods such as semiempirical AM1, density functional B3LYP/3-21G*, and ab initio HF/3-21G*, MP2/3-21G* calculations within GAUSSIAN 98. Using the optimized geometries, the CoMFA results derived from the HF/3-21G method were better than those from AM1. The best CoMFA was obtained from HF/3-21G* optimized geometry and charges (R2 = 0.977). Using the optimized geometries, the CoMFA results derived from the HF/3-21G methods were better than those from AM1 calculations. The training set of 43 molecules gave higher R2 (0.989-0.977) from HF/3-21G* optimized geometries than R2 (0.966-0.911) values from AM1 optimized geometries. The test set of five molecules also suggested that HF/3-21G* optimized geometries produced good CoMFA models to predict bioactivity of sigma 1 receptor ligands but AM1 optimized geometries failed to predict reasonable bioactivity of sigma 1 receptor ligands using different calculations for atomic charges.     

A study on the intermolecular hydrogen bonds of alpha-glycylglycine in its actual crystalline phase using ab initio calculated 14N and 2H nuclear quadrupole coupling constants

alpha-Glycylglycine in its actual crystalline phase is studied by ab initio calculated nuclear quadrupole coupling constants. These physical quantities are computed for 2H and 14N in the hydrogen bonds. The type of hydrogen bond is the N-H...O type. The computations are performed with the RHF and B3LYP methods and 6-31++G** and 6-311++G** basis sets using the Gaussian 98 program. Values of the calculated nuclear quadrupole coupling constants are shown in Tables 1-3. The aim of this work is the study of 2H and 14N quadrupole coupling constants which contribute in the CON2H...O=CN2H type of hydrogen bond. The computed nuclear quadrupole coupling constants of 2H nuclei meet the related experimental values. In addition, the computed chi value of 14N belonging to the -CO-14NH- group agrees well with values obtained experimentally. However, there are some discrepancies between calculated 14N chi values of the N+H3 residue and experiments. Also, the values of these physical parameters are calculated for >C2H2 of alpha-glycylglycine in its crystalline phase. Calculations for these parameters are carried out in a single molecule using X-ray diffraction coordinates, too.     

A semiempirical and ab initio MO study of the tautomers ofN-unsubstituted pyrazolones [hydroxy pyrazoles]

Semiempirical (MNDOC, MINDO/3, AM1, and MNDO) and ab initio (STO-3G and 4-31G basis sets) calculations on the relative stabilities, structures, and dipole moments of the 8 theoretically possible tautomeric forms of pyrazolone are reported. It is shown that MNDO + CI and MINDO/3 predict that 5-hydroxy pyrazole, 3-hydroxy pyrazole, and 2-pyrazolin-5-on are the most stable. These results correspond to the known experimental data. Of all used quantum chemical methods, the MINDO/3 results for the dipole moments of the investigated tautomers are in best agreement with the known experimental data. The electronic excitation energies were calculated using the CNDO/S-CI method. The results are in good agreement with the experimental UV spectra.