Basis set dependence of localized orbitals

The effects of Gaussian basis set contraction and addition of polarization functions on H₂O localized orbitals have been studied at the experimental geometry. It is shown that the electric moments and moment features of localized orbitals are not influenced very much by basis set quality variations, as going from medium size to enlarged basis sets. The difference between bond pair and lone pair charge densities was found to be larger on approaching the Hartree-Fock limit. A minimal basis set, however, does not suitably characterize the localized charge distributions.     

Transferability of some properties of localized molecular orbitals

The transferability of the first and second order electric moments of localized orbitals have been shown. Some moment characteristics have also been investigated. The standard deviation of first order localized moments is less than 2.0%. The standard deviation of second order electric moment components are larger: although they do not exceed 4.0% for bond orbitals, for lone pair ones they vary about 1.5–10.1%.     

Transferability of some properties of localized molecular orbitals

The localized molecular orbitals of some related ten- and eighteen-electron systems have been studied. The transferability of the kinetic, self-interaction, Coulomb and exchange interaction energies on localized orbitals have been shown. The standard deviation of the kinetic and of the interaction energies (including exchange) are less than 2.5% except for lone pair orbitals of the oxygen atoms where the standard deviation is close to 4%.     

Delocalization corrections to the strictly localized molecular orbitals: A linearized SCF approximation

An explicit formula is derived for calculating the delocalization corrections (tails) to be added to the strictly localized bond orbitals. It was obtained by solving analytically the SCF problem for the interbond interactions in a linearized approximation. The model calculations at the CNDO/2 level show that this simple approach is sufficient to account for the molecular conformations.     

Linear combination of hybrid orbitals: Acyclic alkanes

A LCHO SCF-CI semiempirical scheme is formulated for compounds of carbon and hydrogen, and far-UV transition energies computed for a number of acyclic alkanes. The type of spectral bands (CH CH*, etc.) and symmetries of subbands are assigned, and their dependence on conformation and branching discussed. It is argued that, for pentanes and higher alkanes, spectral quantities can be estimated from data on the lower alkanes.Multi-Conformational Compounds, part X. For part IX, see Ref. [1].     

Iterative natural orbitals for configuration interaction using perturbation theory

Approximate natural orbitals are determined iteratively from CI expansions constructed using first-order perturbation theory in order to investigate the possibility of eliminating the complete transformation of MO integrals on each iteration. Results on LiH and H₂O are compared with fully variationally determined NO's to assess questions of convergence.     

An optimum minimal basis of exponential atomic orbitals

An analysis of some of the energetic properties of the conventional minimal STO basis is used to suggest a new optimum set of exponential functions for use in molecular calculations.     

Molecular orbital calculations based on linear combinations of fragment orbitals

A semiempirical MO method based on localized fragment orbitals has been developed, which is particularly suited for the construction of orbital correlation diagrams for the discussion of the electronic structure of complex molecules in terms of fragments and their interactions. The method allows for the inclusion of experimental ionization potentials and electron affinities of the fragments within the calculation of the Fock matrix elements and may thus form the basis of an interpretation of photoelectron spectra, comparable to the interpretation of UV spectra by means of the MIM method of Longuet-Higgins and Murrell. Several levels of approximation are discussed using the acrolein molecule as an example.     

Evaluation of fourier transform of two-center charge distribution for arbitrary slater-type orbitals

Fourier transform of two-center charge distributions corresponding to arbitrary Slater-type orbitals are evaluated by a Gaussian quadrature procedure without any preliminary series expansion of the integrand. Convergence and accuracy of the method are discussed and illustrated.     

On the use of pseudopotentials in molecular calculations

A series of tests was performed of the Kahn-Goddard-Melius-Topiol pseudopotentials in view of their utilization with small contracted basis sets in molecular computations. The effects of inner-shell separability and of basis set contraction are underlined. The utilizability of Topiol's valence least-squares fitted Gaussian basis sets is studied.     

A non-empirical molecular orbital study on the relative stabilities of adenine and guanine tautomers

The relative stabilities of a series of adenine and guanine tautomers have been calculated using anab initio Hartree-Fock-Roothaan SCF MO method. The calculated relative stabilities agree in general with the results of earlier semiempirical studies. According to the present study, tautomeric forms with regular Kekulé structure for the six-membered purine ring are the most stable. The amine-imine tautomerization of purine bases is not likely to be responsible for spontaneous mutations in DNA.     

Bonding criteria for diatomic molecular orbitals and inter-relations among them

Bonding criteria for molecular orbitals in diatomic molecules are discussed. An orbital force criterion is shown to have several conceptual and practical advantages, providing a basis for the investigation of inter-relations among many of the commonly employed criteria.It is found that interconsistency among those criteria is guaranteed, within the framework of Koopmans' Theorem, if the orbital energies are monotonic in the range (R _e, ).The application of the orbital force criterion to the second row homonuclear diatomics exhibits reasonable chemical trends concerning the valence-shell orbitals, as well as indications of a slightly antibonding nature of the inner orbitals.Based on a section of a thesis to be submitted by Y.T. to the Senate of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the D.Sc. degree     

Configuration interaction methods for improving unrestricted Hartree-Fock spin densities

Limited Configuration Interaction wave functions based on Unrestricted Hartree-Fock natural orbitals are found to be easy to compute and to give much more satisfactory spin densities than are provided by techniques currently in use.     

Theoretical study of the electronic structure of diazomethane

The least-energy dissociation path of the ground state of CH₂N₂ was determined fromab initio calculations using in a complementary way basis sets of minimal size (STO-3G) and double-zeta (DZ) quality. The results indicate that the least-energy point of attack of the N₂ molecule on CH₂ (¹ A ₁) is roughly perpendicular to the molecular plane (93 °), the C and N atoms being almost co-linear (angle C-N-N203 ° with outermost N atom pointing away from CH₂). The potential barrier of 1.2 eV found previously on theC _2v dissociation path, disappears completely along the least-energy dissociation path (point groupC _s (out-of-plane)). These findings corroborate the Woodward-Hoffman rules for this process since the outermost orbitals of the two intersecting states found in point groupC _2v (...2b ₁ and ...8a ₁) both correlate to the same irreducible representation (10á) in point groupC _s (out-of-plane).Larger basis set calculations (DZ + polarization functions on all centers, 3d _c and 3d _N developed here), were also carried out on CH₂N₂ (¹ A ₁,³ A ₂ and¹ A ₂) at the¹ A ₁ equilibrium geometry and on CH₂ (³ B ₁) and N₂ (¹ _g ⁺ ) at their respective equilibrium geometries. These calculations, together with consideration of correlation energy differences, yieldD ₀ ⁰ (CH₂N₂,¹ A ₁) = 19 kcal/mole and vertical excitation energies of 67 and 73 kcal/mole for the³ A ₂ and¹ A ₂ states respectively. The latter value is in good agreement with the measured experimental value: 72.4 kcal/mole corresponding to the maximum of intensity in the¹ A ₂¹ A ₁ absorption band.     

Band structure of nonclassical polymers

It is shown that fully conjugated alternant nonclassical polymers are comparatively stable systems as a result of the considerable delocalisation energy.The energy characteristics of the polymers are strongly determined by the electron spin distribution of the degenerate nonbonding molecular orbitals; the full spin configuration,S>0, is favoured. The spin densities depend on the electron correlation and alternate; this corresponds to a ferrimagnetic state of the polymer at 0°K.     

A theoretical study of electrophilic reactions

The electronic structures of protonated formyl and acetylium cations and their deprotonation paths leading to HCO⁺, COH⁺ and CH₃CO⁺have been studied by means of ab initio calculations. The results support Olah's theory that dipositive species can be the de facto reagents in electrophilic reactions.     

Calculation of polarizabilities by the CNDO method

The polarizabilities of a number of small and medium size molecules are calculated using CNDO/2 wave functions. The first-order and the second-order perturbation equations are solved by variational procedures. The results are encouraging for the component along the internuclear axes and in the molecular plane. The effect of deorthogonalization of the CNDO/2 orbitals is discussed.     

Conformational analysis of dimethylphosphate with quantum-mechanical and classical methods

In order to shed light on the conformational behavior of polynucleotide chains, and in particular to clarify the origins of the barriers to internal rotation in the phosphodiester linkage, we computed, with a quantum-mechanical ab initio procedure, the energies associated to 86 combinations of the two torsion angles in the dimethylphosphate anion (CH₃O)₂PO₂ ^–, and then we sought for an analytical expression apt to reproduce these energies with the highest possible accuracy. An excellent agreement (standard deviation of the fitted energies from the ab initio energies 0.28 kcal/mole) with the quantum-mechanical calculations was reached with a potential consisting of four terms: 1) a 6–12 Lennard-Jones contribution, in which different parameters are used to describe the interactions of methyls with the ester oxygens and with the anionic oxygens; 2) a contribution with twofold periodicity, accounting for the anomeric effects connected to the interactions between the lone pair electrons and the polar bonds of phosphorus with the anionic oxygens; 3) a contribution with threefold periodicity, representing the usual bond-staggering term; and 4) a Coulombic contribution, arising from electrostatic interactions between partially charged atoms.