The p-difluorobenzene-argon S1 excited state intermolecular potential energy surface

The first excited state (S1) intermolecular potential energy surface for the p-difluorobenzene-Ar van der Waals complex is evaluated using the coupled-cluster method and the augmented correlation consistent polarized valence double-zeta basis set extended with a set of 3s3p2d1f1g midbond functions. In order to calculate the S1 interaction energies we use the ground state surface evaluated with the same basis set and the coupled-cluster singles and doubles [CCSD] including connected triple excitations [CCSD(T)] model, and interaction and excitation energies evaluated at the CCSD level. The surface minima are characterized by the Ar atom located above and below the p-difluorobenzene center of mass at a distance of 3.4736 A. The corresponding interaction energy is -435.233 cm-1. The surface is used in the evaluation of the intermolecular level structure of the complex.     

Fluorobenzene-argon ground-state intermolecular potential energy surface

The ground-state intermolecular potential energy surface for the fluorobenzene-argon van der Waals complex is evaluated using the coupled-cluster singles and doubles including connected triple excitations model, with the augmented correlation consistent polarized valence double-zeta basis set extended with a set of 3s3p2d1f1g midbond functions. In the surface minima the Ar atom is located above and below the fluorobenzene plane at a distance of 3.562 A from the fluorobenzene center of mass and at an angle of 6.33 degrees with respect to the axis perpendicular to the fluorobenzene plane. The corresponding binding energy is 391.1 cm(-1). Both these results and the eigenvalues obtained from the potential compare well with the experimental data available.     

A new ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface and predicted rotational spectra of the Ne-H2S complex

We report a new three-dimensional ab initio intermolecular potential energy surface for the Ne-H(2)S complex with H(2)S monomer fixed at its experimental average structure. Using the supermolecular approach, the intermolecular potential energies were evaluated at CCSD(T) (coupled cluster with single and double and perturbative triple excitations) level with large basis sets including bond functions. The full counterpoise procedure was employed to correct the basis set superposition error. The planar T-shaped global minimum is located at the intermolecular distance of 3.51 ? with a well depth of 71.57 cm(-1). An additional planar local minimum was found to be separated from the global minimum with an energy barrier of 23.11 cm(-1). In addition, two first-order and one second-order saddle points were also located. The combined radial discrete variable representation/angular finite basis representation method and the Lanczos algorithm were employed to evaluate the rovibrational energy levels for eight isotopic species of the Ne-H(2)S complexes. The rotational transition frequencies for the eight isotopomers were also determined for the ground and first vibrational excited states, which are all in very good agreement with the available experimental values.     

p-Difluorobenzene-argon ground state intermolecular potential energy surface

The ground state intermolecular potential energy surface for the p-difluorobenzene-Ar van der Waals complex is evaluated using the coupled cluster singles and doubles including connected triple excitations [CCSD(T)] model and the augmented correlation consistent polarized valence double-zeta basis set extended with a set of 3s3p2d1f1g midbond functions. The surface minima are characterized by the Ar atom located above and below the difluorobenzene center of mass at a distance of 3.5290 A. The corresponding binding energy is -398.856 cm(-1). The surface is used in the evaluation of the intermolecular level structure of the complex. The results clearly improve previously available data and show the importance of using a good correlation method and basis set when dealing with van der Waals complexes.     

High-level ab initio computations of structures and interaction energies of naphthalene dimers: origin of attraction and its directionality

The intermolecular interaction energies of naphthalene dimers have been calculated by using an aromatic intermolecular interaction model (a model chemistry for the evaluation of intermolecular interactions between aromatic molecules). The CCSD(T) (coupled cluster calculations with single and double substitutions with noniterative triple excitations) interaction energy at the basis set limit has been estimated from the second-order M?ller-Plesset perturbation interaction energy near saturation and the CCSD(T) correction term obtained using a medium-size basis set. The estimated interaction energies of the set of geometries explored in this work show that two structures emerge as being the lowest energy, and may effectively be considered as isoenergetic on the basis of the errors inherent in out extrapolation procedure. These structures are the slipped-parallel (Ci) structure (-5.73 kcal/mol) and the cross (D2d) structure (-5.28 kcal/mol). The T-shaped (C2v) and sandwich (D2h) dimers are substantially less stable (-4.34 and -3.78 kcal/mol, respectively). The dispersion interaction is found to be the major source of attraction in the naphthalene dimer. The electrostatic interaction is substantially smaller than the dispersion interaction. The large dispersion interaction is the cause of the large binding energies of the cross and slipped-parallel dimers.     

A three-dimensional He-NaH potential energy surface for rovibrational energy transfer studies

A three-dimensional potential energy surface for the He-NaH van der Waals complex is calculated at the coupled cluster singles-and-doubles with noniterative inclusion of connected triples [CCSD(T)] level of theory. Estimates of CCSD(T) interaction energies for an infinitely large basis set is obtained using a basis set extrapolation scheme. The He-NaH potential energy surface is much different than the He-LiH surface. In particular, the He-NaH system has a binding energy of De=19.73 cm(-1) in comparison to De=176.7 cm(-1) for He-LiH. These minima are at the theta=180 degrees linear geometry where the helium is located at the metal end of the metal hydride. The He-NaH and He-LiH potentials are very similar for the theta=0 degrees linear geometry. The He-NaH potential energy surface supports one vibrational bound state with E=-1.48 cm(-1). Since this energy is smaller than the accuracy of the potential energy surface, the existence of a bound He-NaH complex is questionable.     

Ab initio ground state phenylacetylene-argon intermolecular potential energy surface and rovibrational spectrum

We evaluate the phenylacetylene-argon intermolecular potential energy surface by fitting a representative number of ab initio interaction energies to an analytic function. These energies are calculated at a grid of intermolecular geometries, using the CCSD(T) method and the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set extended with a series of 3s3p2d1f1g midbond functions. The potential is characterized by two equivalent global minima where the Ar atom is located above and below the phenylacetylene plane at a distance of 3.5781 A? from the molecular center of mass and at an angle of 9.08° with respect to the axis perpendicular to the phenylacetylene plane and containing the center of mass. The calculated interaction energy is -418.9 cm(-1). To check further the potential, we obtain the rovibrational spectrum of the complex and the results are compared to the available experimental data.     

Explicit correlation and basis set superposition error: the structure and energy of carbon dioxide dimer

We have investigated the slipped parallel and t-shaped structures of carbon dioxide dimer [(CO(2))(2)] using both conventional and explicitly correlated coupled cluster methods, inclusive and exclusive of counterpoise (CP) correction. We have determined the geometry of both structures with conventional coupled cluster singles doubles and perturbative triples theory [CCSD(T)] and explicitly correlated cluster singles doubles and perturbative triples theory [CCSD(T)-F12b] at the complete basis set (CBS) limits using custom optimization routines. Consistent with previous investigations, we find that the slipped parallel structure corresponds to the global minimum and is 1.09 kJ mol(-1) lower in energy. For a given cardinal number, the optimized geometries and interaction energies of (CO(2))(2) obtained with the explicitly correlated CCSD(T)-F12b method are closer to the CBS limit than the corresponding conventional CCSD(T) results. Furthermore, the magnitude of basis set superposition error (BSSE) in the CCSD(T)-F12b optimized geometries and interaction energies is appreciably smaller than the magnitude of BSSE in the conventional CCSD(T) results. We decompose the CCSD(T) and CCSD(T)-F12b interaction energies into the constituent HF or HF CABS, CCSD or CCSD-F12b, and (T) contributions. We find that the complementary auxiliary basis set (CABS) singles correction and the F12b approximation significantly reduce the magnitude of BSSE at the HF and CCSD levels of theory, respectively. For a given cardinal number, we find that non-CP corrected, unscaled triples CCSD(T)-F12b/VXZ-F12 interaction energies are in overall best agreement with the CBS limit.     

On geometries of stacked and H-bonded nucleic acid base pairs determined at various DFT, MP2, and CCSD(T) levels up to the CCSD(T)/complete basis set limit level

The geometries and interaction energies of stacked and hydrogen-bonded uracil dimers and a stacked adeninecdots, three dots, centeredthymine pair were studied by means of high-level quantum chemical calculations. Specifically, standard as well as counterpoise-corrected optimizations were performed at second-order Moller-Plesset (MP2) and coupled cluster level of theory with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations [CCSD(T)] levels with various basis sets up to the complete basis set limit. The results can be summarized as follows: (i) standard geometry optimization with small basis set (e.g., 6-31G(*)) provides fairly reasonable intermolecular separation; (ii) geometry optimization with extended basis sets at the MP2 level underestimates the intermolecular distances compared to the reference CCSD(T) results, whereas the MP2/cc-pVTZ counterpoise-corrected optimization agrees well with the reference geometries and, therefore, is recommended as a next step for improving MP2/cc-pVTZ geometries; (iii) the stabilization energy of stacked nucleic acids base pairs depends considerably on the method used for geometry optimization, so the use of reliable geometries, such as counterpoise-corrected MP2/cc-pVTZ ones, is recommended; (iv) the density functional theory methods fail completely in locating the energy minima for stacked structures and when the geometries from MP2 calculations are used, the resulting stabilization energies are strongly underestimated; (v) the self-consistent charges-density functional tight binding method, with inclusion of the empirical dispersion energy, accurately reproduces interaction energies and geometries of dispersion-bonded (stacked) complexes; this method can thus be recommended for prescanning the potential energy surfaces of van der Waals complexes.     

Intermolecular Interactions in Weak Donor–Acceptor Complexes from Symmetry‐Adapted Perturbation and Coupled‐Cluster Theory: Tetracyanoethylene–Benzene and Tetracyanoethylene–p‐Xylene

The interactions in the complexes of tetracyanothylene (TCNE) with benzene and p‐xylene, often classified as weak electron donor–acceptor (EDA) complexes, are investigated by a range of quantum chemical methods including intermolecular perturbation theory at the DFT‐SAPT (symmetry‐adapted perturbation theory combined with density functional theory) level and explicitly correlated coupled‐cluster theory at the CCSD(T)‐F12 level. The DFT‐SAPT interaction energies for TCNE–benzene and TCNE–p‐xylene are estimated to be ?35.7 and ?44.9 kJ mol^?1, respectively, at the complete basis set limit. The best estimates for the CCSD(T) interaction energy are ?37.5 and ?46.0 kJ mol^?1, respectively. It is shown that the second‐order dispersion term provides the most important attractive contribution to the interaction energy, followed by the first‐order electrostatic term. The sum of second‐ and higher‐order induction and exchange–induction energies is found to provide nearly 40 % of the total interaction energy. After addition of vibrational, rigid‐rotor, and translational contributions, the computed internal energy changes on complex formation approach results from gas‐phase spectrophotometry at elevated temperatures within experimental uncertainties, while the corresponding entropy changes differ substantially.     

Accurate intermolecular ground state potential of the Ne-N2 van der Waals complex

Ab initio ground state potential energy surfaces are obtained from interaction energies calculated with the coupled cluster singles and doubles model including connected triples corrections [CCSD(T)] and the aug-cc-pVXZ (X=5,Q,T,D) basis sets augmented with two different sets of midbond functions (denoted 33221 and 33211). The aug-cc-pV5Z-33221 surface is characterized by a T-shaped 49.5 cm(-1) minimum at Re=3.38 Angstroms and a linear saddle point at 3.95 Angstroms with De=36.6 cm(-1). These results agree well with the values provided by the accurate semiempirical potentials available. The rovibronic spectroscopic properties are determined and compared to the available experimental data and previous theoretical results. We study the basis set convergence of the intermolecular potentials and the rotational frequencies. The aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets provide reasonable binding parameters, but seem not to be converged enough for the evaluation of the microwave spectra. The aug-cc-pVQZ basis sets considerably improve the triple zeta results. The differences between the results obtained with the aug-cc-pVTZ-33221 basis set surface and those with the aug-cc-pVQZ-33221 are smaller than those of the corresponding bases with the set of 33211 midbond functions. The aug-cc-pVQZ surfaces are close to the aug-cc-pV5Z, that are expected to be close to convergence. With our best surfaces the errors in the frequencies with respect to the accurate experimental results go down to 0.6%.     

Accurate intermolecular ground state potential of the Ne-HCl van der Waals complex

From an accurate ground state intermolecular potential energy surface we evaluate the rovibrational spectrum of the Ne-HCl van der Waals complex. The intermolecular potential is obtained by fitting a considerable number of interaction energies obtained at the coupled cluster singles and doubles including connected triple excitations level and with the augmented correlation consistent polarized valence quintuple zeta basis set extended with a set of 3s3p2d1f1g midbond functions. This basis set is selected after a systematic basis set study carried out at geometries close to those of the three main surface stationary points. The surface is characterized by two linear minima, i.e. Ne-ClH and Ne-HCl, with distances from the Ne atom to the HCl center of mass of 3.398 and 3.833 angstroms, respectively; and binding energies of -65.10 and -66.85 cm(-1), respectively. These results agree well with the experimental data available in contrast to previous theoretical results. The rovibrational spectra calculated for the different isotopic species are also compared to the experiments.     

A hierarchical family of three-dimensional potential energy surfaces for He-CO

A hierarchical family of five three-dimensional potential energy surfaces has been developed for the benchmark He-CO system. Four surfaces were obtained at the coupled cluster singles and doubles level of theory with a perturbational estimate of triple excitations, CCSD(T), and range in quality from the doubly augmented double-zeta basis set to the complete basis set (CBS) limit. The fifth corresponds to an approximate CCSDT/CBS surface (CCSD with iterative triples/CBS, denoted CBS+corr). The CBS limit results were obtained by pointwise basis set extrapolations of the individual counterpoise-corrected interaction energies. For each surface, over 1000 interaction energies were accurately interpolated using a reproducing kernel Hilbert space approach with an R-6+R-7 asymptotic form. In each case, both three-dimensional and effective two-dimensional surfaces were developed. In standard Jacobi coordinates, the final CBS+corr surface has a global minimum at rCO=2.1322a0,R=6.418a0, and gamma=70.84 degrees with a well depth of -22.34 cm-1. The other four surfaces have well depths ranging from -14.83 cm-1 [CCSD(T)/d-aug-cc-pVDZ] to -22.02 cm-1 [CCSD(T)/CBS]. For each of these surfaces the infrared spectrum has been accurately calculated and compared to experiment, as well as to previous theoretical and empirical surfaces. The final CBS+corr surface exhibits root-mean-square and maximum errors compared to experiment (4He) of just 0.03 and 0.04 cm-1, respectively, for all 42 transitions and is the most accurate ab initio surface to date for this system. Other quantities investigated include the interaction second virial coefficient, the integral cross sections, and thermal rate coefficients for rotational relaxation of CO by He, and rate coefficients for CO vibrational relaxation by He. All the observable quantities showed a smooth convergence with respect to the quality of the underlying interaction surface.     

Ab initio calculations of structures and interaction energies of toluene dimers including CCSD(T) level electron correlation correction

The intermolecular interaction energy of the toluene dimer has been calculated with the ARS-F model (a model chemistry for the evaluation of intermolecular interaction energy between ARomatic Systems using Feller's method), which was formerly called as the AIMI model III. The CCSD(T) (coupled cluster calculations with single and double substitutions with noniterative triple excitations) interaction energy at the basis set limit has been estimated from the second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation interaction energy at the basis set limit obtained by Feller's method and the CCSD(T) correction term obtained using a medium-size basis set. The cross (C(2)) dimer has the largest (most negative) interaction energy (-4.08 kcal/mol). The antiparallel (C(2h)) and parallel (C(S)) dimers (-3.77 and -3.41 kcal/mol, respectively) are slightly less stable. The dispersion interaction is found to be the major source of attraction in the toluene dimer. The dispersion interaction mainly determines the relative stability of the stacked three dimers. The electrostatic interaction of the stacked three dimers is repulsive. Although the T-shaped and slipped-parallel benzene dimers are nearly isoenergetic, the stacked toluene dimers are substantially more stable than the T-shaped toluene dimer (-2.62 kcal/mol). The large dispersion interaction in the stacked toluene dimers is the cause of their enhanced stability.     

Basis sets for the evaluation of van der Waals complex interaction energies: Ne–N2 intermolecular potential and microwave spectrum

In order to obtain efficient basis sets for the evaluation of van der Waals complex intermolecular potentials, we carry out systematic basis set studies. For this, interaction energies at representative geometries on the potential energy surfaces are evaluated using the CCSD(T) correlation method and large polarized LPol‐n and augmented polarization‐consistent aug‐pc‐2 basis sets extended with different sets of midbond functions. On the basis of the root mean square errors calculated with respect to the values for the most accurate potentials available, basis sets are selected for fitting the corresponding interaction energies and getting analytical potentials. In this work, we study the Ne–N₂ van der Waals complex and after the above procedure, the aug‐pc‐2–3321 and the LPol‐ds‐33221 basis set results are fitted. The obtained potentials are characterized by T‐shaped global minima at distances between the Ne atom and the N₂ center of mass of 3.39 Å, with interaction energies of ?49.36 cm^?1 for the aug‐pc‐2–3321 surface and ?50.28 cm^?1 for the LPol‐ds‐33221 surface. Both sets of results are in excellent agreement with the reference surface. To check the potentials further microwave transition frequencies are calculated that agree well with the experimental and the aV5Z‐33221 values. The success of this study suggests that it is feasible to carry out similar accurate calculations of interaction energies and ro‐vibrational spectra at reduced cost for larger complexes than has been possible hitherto. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Locally correlated equation-of-motion coupled cluster theory for the excited states of large molecules

We report an extension of the local correlation concept to electronically excited states via the equation-of-motion coupled cluster singles and doubles (EOM-CCSD) method. We apply the same orbital domain structure used successfully for ground-state CCSD by Werner and co-workers and find that the resulting localized excitation energies are in error generally by less than 0.2 eV relative to their canonical EOM-CCSD counterparts, provided the basis set is flexible and includes Rydberg-like functions. In addition, we account for weak-pair contributions efficiently using a correction to local-EOM-CCSD transition energies based on the perturbative (D) correction used with configuration interaction singles (CIS).     

Testing the parametric two-electron reduced-density-matrix method with improved functionals: application to the conversion of hydrogen peroxide to oxywater

Parametrization of the two-electron reduced density matrix (2-RDM) has recently enabled the direct calculation of electronic energies and 2-RDMs at the computational cost of configuration interaction with single and double excitations. While the original Kollmar energy functional yields energies slightly better than those from coupled cluster with single-double excitations, a general family of energy functionals has recently been developed whose energies approach those from coupled cluster with triple excitations [D. A. Mazziotti, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 253002 (2008)]. In this paper we test the parametric 2-RDM method with one of these improved functionals through its application to the conversion of hydrogen peroxide to oxywater. Previous work has predicted the barrier from oxywater to hydrogen peroxide with zero-point energy correction to be 3.3-to-3.9 kcal/mol from coupled cluster with perturbative triple excitations [CCSD(T)] and -2.3 kcal/mol from complete active-space second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2) in augmented polarized triple-zeta basis sets. Using a larger basis set than previously employed for this reaction-an augmented polarized quadruple-zeta basis set (aug-cc-pVQZ)-with extrapolation to the complete basis-set limit, we examined the barrier with two parametric 2-RDM methods and three coupled cluster methods. In the basis-set limit the M parametric 2-RDM method predicts an activation energy of 2.1 kcal/mol while the CCSD(T) barrier becomes 4.2 kcal/mol. The dissociation energy of hydrogen peroxide to hydroxyl radicals is also compared to the activation energy for oxywater formation. We report energies, optimal geometries, dipole moments, and natural occupation numbers. Computed 2-RDMs nearly satisfy necessary N-representability conditions.     

Ab initio calculations, potential representation and vibrational dynamics of He2Br2 van der Waals complex

An intermolecular potential energy surface for He(2)Br(2) complex in the ground state is calculated at the levels of fourth-order (MP4) Moller-Plesset and coupled-cluster [CCSD(T)] approximations, using large-core pseudopotential for Br atoms and the aug-cc-pV5Z basis set for He. The surface is characterized by three minima and the minimum energy pathways through them. The global minimum corresponds to a linear He-Br(2)-He configuration, while the two other ones to "police-nightstick" and tetrahedral structures. The corresponding well depths are -90.39/-89.18, -81.23/-80.78 and -74.40/-74.02 cm(-1), respectively, at MP4/CCSD(T) levels of theory. It is found that results obtained by summing three-body parametrized HeBr(2) interactions and the He-He interaction are in very good accord with the corresponding MP4/CSSD(T) configuration energies of the He(2)Br(2). Variational calculations using a sum of three-body interactions are presented to study the bound states of the vdW He(2)Br(2) complex. The binding energy D(0) and the corresponding vibrationally averaged structure are determined for different isomers of the cluster and their comparison with the available experimental data is discussed.     

Ab initio potential energy surface and intermolecular vibrations of the naphthalene-argon van der Waals complex

The intermolecular potential energy surface (PES) of the naphthalene-argon (NpAr) complex is constructed using an ab initio method. The molecule-argon interaction energy is computed at the level of the second-order M?ller-Plesset (MP2) theory combined with the augmented correlation consistent polarized valence double-ζ basis set. The analytical PES fitted to a large set of single energy values is further improved with the help of correction functions determined by calculations of the interaction energy at the coupled cluster level including single and double excitations supplemented by triple excitations performed for a limited set of intermolecular configurations. The PES determined is very flat near its four equivalent global minima of -493 cm(-1) located from both sides of the Np plane at a distance of 3.435 A? and shifted from the center of Np by ±0.43 A? along its long symmetry axis. The large-amplitude motion of Ar in the complex is investigated, and dynamical consequence of a strong intermode coupling is discovered in the excited vibrational states. The theoretical results obtained allow for the reassignment of the spectral bands observed in the electronic transition S(1) ← S(0) of the NpAr complex.     

F2 dimer: Improved intermolecular potential energy surface using ab initio calculations

A computational study on the intermolecular potential energy of 44 different orientations of F₂ dimers is presented. Basis set superposition error (BSSE) corrected potential energy surface is calculated using the supermolecular approach at CCSD(T) and QCISD(T) levels of theory. The interaction energies obtained using the aug‐cc‐pVDZ and aug‐cc‐pVTZ basis sets are extrapolated to the complete basis set limit using the latest extrapolation scheme. The basis set effect is checked and it is found that the extrapolated intermolecular energies provide the best compromise between the accuracy and computational cost. Among 1320 energy points of F₂–F₂ system covering more relative orientations, the most stable structure of the dimers was obtained with a well depth of ?146.62 cm^?1 that related to cross configuration, and the most unstable structure is related to linear orientation with a well depth of ?52.63 cm^?1. The calculated second virial coefficients are in good agreement with experimental data. The latest extrapolation scheme of the complete basis set limit at the CCSD(T) level of theory is used to determine the intermolecular potential energy surface of the F₂ dimer. Comparing the results obtained by the latest scheme with those by older schemes show that the new approach provides the best compromise between accuracy and computational cost.