Predictive abilities of scaled quantum-mechanical molecular force fields: application to 2-methylbuta-1,3-diene (isoprene)

The ab initio-based, scaled quantum-mechanical molecular force field (SQM-FF) analysis of the vibrational spectra of the s-trans and s-gauche conformers of 2-methylbuta-1,3-diene (isoprene), reported previously at the HF/6-31G//HF/6-31G computational level [Bock, et al. J Mol Struct 160: 337, 1987], has been updated in this article using a more complete set of experimental data on the s-gauche conformer along with revised results for the s-trans conformer obtained in the gas phase, in a low-temperature matrix, and in neat crystals. Geometrical parameters and the calculated wavenumbers derived from the SQM-FF at the MP2(FC)/aug-cc-pVDZ//MP2(FC)/aug-cc-pVDZ level are compared to experiment. The analyses performed are consistent with the presence of a twisted high-energy s-gauche conformer of isoprene.     

Identification of the high-energy conformer of octa-1,3,5,7-tetraene detected in the one-photon excitation fluorescence spectrum

Scaled quantum-mechanical force field (SQM-FF) vibrational analyses at the HF/6-31G//HF/6-31G computational level of the gauche, Trans,trans,Trans,trans-, gauche,Trans,trans,Cis,trans-, trans,Trans,gauche,Trans,trans-, and trans,Cis,trans,Trans,trans-conformers of octa-1,3,5,7-tetraene were used to identify the rotational isomer observed in the one-photon excitation fluorescence spectrum of this conjugated molecule (Ackerman et al. in J Chem Phys 80:39–44, 1984) as the gauche,Trans,trans,Trans,trans (gTtTt)-conformer. The analysis was performed by comparing the RMS deviations of the 14 fundamental wavenumbers assigned to the high-energy conformer of octa-1,3,5,7-tetraene in the fluorescence spectrum with those calculated for these conformers. Some reassignments of the wavenumbers, originally suggested by experimental observations, were required for the current analysis. The non-planar structure of gTtTt-octa-1,3,5,7-tetraene was calculated to have the terminal –CH=CH₂ moiety rotated by ~30.5° with respect to the remainder of the nearly planar skeleton using both the HF/6-31G and MP2(FC)/aug-cc-pVDZ computational levels. The barriers to rotation of the –CH=CH₂ moiety at the MP2(FC)/aug-cc-pVDZ level were as follows: rotation from the lowest-energy planar all-trans conformer to the non-planar gTtTt-conformer was 31.4 kJ/mol; rotation from the gTtTt-conformer to the planar all-trans conformer was 18.0 kJ/mol; and the barrier between the two equivalent gTtTt-octa-1,3,5,7-tetraene conformers was only 1.4 kJ/mol.     

Ab initio HF-SCF study of naphthazarin: Geometries,isomerism, hydrogen bonding,and vibrational spectrum

The structural properties and intramolecular hydrogen bonding of a series of structures of naphthazarin molecule were investigated by ab initio HF-SCF methods. The geometries of theC _2v ,C _2h ,D _2h , andC _s symmetry structures were optimized using split-valence basis sets. MP2/6-31G^*// HF/6-31G single-point energy calculations indicate that theC _2v isomer (5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) is the lowest energy structure of the molecule and that theC _2h symmetry one (4,8-dihydroxy-1,5-naphthoquinone), lying 37 kJ/mol above theC _2v form, is the other stable isomer of naphthazarin. At the HF/6-31G level, the intramolecular proton exchange between two equivalentC _2v structures is a two-step process where each proton can be independently transferred through an unsymmetrical potential having a 1,5-quinone intermediate, theC _2h symmetry structure, and two equivalent transition states ofC _s symmetry, with a barrier height equal to 38 kJ/ mol (MP2/6-31G^*//HF/6-31G). The study of naphthazarin molecule is flanked by a theoretical investigation on theC _2v andC _2h isomers of the parent naphthoquinone and dihydroxynaphthalene molecules. The SCF vibrational spectrum of the ground state of naphthazarin, harmonic frequencies, and infrared and Raman band intensities were computed at the HF/6-31G level. The results of the calculations are compared with the matrix isolation FT-IR spectroscopy measurements and with the infrared and Raman spectra of the crystal molecule.     

Structures and stability of N9, N9 − and N9 + clusters

 Ab initio molecular orbital calculations for N₉, N⁻ ₉ and N⁺ ₉ isomers were carried out at the HF/ 6-31G*, B3PW91/6-31G*, B3LYP/6-31G* and MP2/ 6-31G* levels of theory. Stable equilibrium geometric structures were determined by harmonic vibrational frequency analyses at the HF/6-31G*, B3PW91/6-31G* and B3LYP/6-31G* levels of theory. The most stable free-radical N₉ cluster is structure 1 with C _{2 v} symmetry and that of anion N⁻ ₉ is structure 3 with C _s symmetry. Only one stable structure of the N⁺ ₉ cation with C _{2 v} symmetry was predicted. Their potential application as high-energy-density materials has been examined. Received: 15 June 1999 / Accepted: 11 October 1999 / Published online: 14 March 2000     

Predictive abilities of scaled quantum mechanical molecular force fields: application to 2,3-dimethylbuta-1,3-diene

In connection with the appearance of new experimental vibrational data on the high-energy rotational isomer of 2,3-dimethylbuta-1,3-diene (I) in a low-temperature matrix and in neat crystals, the ab initio-based vibrational analysis of this molecule has been re-evaluated. Calculated wavenumbers derived from a scaled quantum-mechanical force field analysis at the MP2(FC)/aug-cc-pVDZ//MP2(FC)/aug-cc-pVDZ computational level are compared with experimental data. Several reassignments of the fundamental wavenumbers for I have been suggested in the course of the current analysis, and the existence of a high-energy non-planar s-gauche conformer of 2,3-dimethylbuta-1,3-diene has been confirmed.     

Quantum-Chemical Study of Electronic and Steric Structure of Vinyltetrazoles: I. 2-Substituted 5-Vinyltetrazoles

The total Mulliken charges on the carbon atoms of the vinyl group, populations of S-trans-(N¹)conformers, and internal rotation energies were calculated ab initio (HF/6-31G**, MP2/6-31G**, and MP2/6-31G**//AM1) for a series of 2R-5-vinyltetrazoles (R = CH₃, C₂H₅, i-C₃H₇, t-C₄H₉, C₆H₅). The calculation results were compared to the available experimental data.     

Conformational analysis of 2-methyl-5-nitro-1,3,2-dioxaborinane

Quantum-chemical methods HF/6-31G(d), HF/6-31+G(d), MP2/6-31G(d)//HF/6-31G(d), and MP2/6-31+G(d)//HF/6-31+G(d) were used to investigate the conformational isomerization of 2-methyl-5-nitro-1,3,2-dioxaborinane. It has been shown that a potential energy surface of this compound includes two minima: an axial form of semi-chair and equatorial sofa together with a transition state belonging to the conformation of 2,5-twist-form. A comparison between experimental NMR ¹H and theoretical vicinal coupling constants was used to determine the quantitative conformational composition of cyclic boric acid ester and a value of ΔG ⁰ for nitro group at the ring carbon atom C⁵ in CCl₄ and C₆D₅NO₂ solutions.     

An Ab Initio Study and NBO Analysis of the Stability and Conformational Properties of Hexakis(trimethylelementhyl)benzene (Element = C,Si, Ge,and Sn)

Ab initio molecular orbital and density functional theory were used to investigate energetic and structural properties of the various conformations of hexa-tertbutylbenzene (1), hexakis(trimethylsilyl)benzene (2), hexakis (trimethylgermyl)benzene (3), and hexakis(trimethylstannyl)benzene (4). HF/3-21G//HF/3-21G and B3LYP/3-21G//HF/3-21G results revealed that the Twist-Boat (TB) conformer of compound 1 is more stable than the 1-Chair (C), 1-Boat (B), and 1-Planar (P) conformers. B3LYP/3-21G//HF/3-21G results show that the 1- TB conformer is more stable than 1- C, 1- B, and 1- P conformers of about 1.13, 4.34, and 99.94 kcal mol^?1 , respectively. Contrary to the stability order of compound 1 conformers, the C conformer of compounds 2–4 is more stable than TB, B, and P conformations, as calculated by B3LYP/3-21G//HF/3-21G and HF/3-21G//HF/3-21G levels of theory. The energy gap between the C and P conformers in compounds 1–4 is decreased in the following order: ΔE(4: C, P) < ΔE (3: C, P) < ΔE(2: C, P) < ΔE (1: C, P). This fact can be explained in terms of the increase of C _aromatic -M (M═C, Si, Ge, and Sn) bond lengths and the decrease of steric (van der Waals) repulsions in the previously discussed compounds. For compounds 1–3, the calculations were also performed at the B3LYP/ 6-31G*//HF/3-21G level of theory. However, the comparison showed that the results at B3LYP/3-21G//HF/3-21G methods correlated well with those obtained at the B3LYP/6-31G*// HF/6-31G method. Further, NBO analysis revealed that in compounds 1–4, the resonance energy associated with the σ_M-C1 to σ*_C2-C3 delocalization is 5.20, 9.68, 11.15, and 12.27 kcal mol^?1, respectively. These resonance energy values could explain the easiness of the ring flipping processes of C, B, and TB conformers of compounds 4 to 1. Also, the NBO results showed that by an increase of the σ_M-C1 → σ *_C2-C3 resonance energies in compounds 1–4, the σ_M-C1 bonding orbital occupancies decrease. This fact could fairly explain the increase of the C_aryl-M bond length from compound 1 to 4. The NBO results are also in good agreement with the calculated energy barriers for the ring flipping of the chair conformations in compounds 1–4, as calculated by B3LYP and HF methods.     

Structures and energies of seleno derivatives of biuret.Ab Initio comparative studies of diselenobiuret, selenobiuret, and selenothiobiuret

Ab initio studies (LCAO-MO method) on conformers of three seleno derivatives of the biuret molecules diselenobiuret [I], selenobiuret [II], and selenothiobiuret [III] were carried out at the Hartree-Fock (HF) and MP2 levels. The molecular geometries of these species were fully optimized at the HF level and characterized by analysis of the harmonic vibrational frequencies using a split-valence triple-zeta basis set augmented by a set ofd polarization functions on heavy atoms andp polarization functions on hydrogen atoms [TZP(d, p)]. The total energies of the HF-optimized structures were calculated at the MP2 (frozen core) level using a larger TZP (2df, 2pd) basis set. The potential energy searches revealed a total of 11 minimum-energy conformers (assigned astrans-trans, trans-cis, cis-trans, andcis-cis) and seven transition-state species for the title molecules. The two predicted conformers for diselenobiuret (Ia=trans-trans andIc=cis-cis) are characterized byC ₂ and the third byC _s symmetry. For selenothiobiuret two forms (IIIa=trans-trans andIIId=cis-cis) possessC ₁ and two (IIIb=trans-cis andIIIc=cis-trans) possessC _s symmetries, respectively. For selenobiuret, four formsIIa=trans-trans (C₁),IIb=trans-cis (C _s),IIc=cis-trans (C ₁), andIId=cis-cis (C₁), were obtained as a result of gradient optimization. Comparison of the relative energies for the considered species indicated that thecis-trans forms are the most stable conformations for all three systems at both the HF and MP2 levels of theory.     

A comprehensive study of the rotational energy profiles of organic systems by ab initio MO theory,forming a basis for peptide torsional parameters

Ab initio molecular orbital calculations have been carried out on over 50 model organic molecules and ions to provide the data necessary in the determination of torsional parameters for a force field involving polypeptides. The rotational energy profiles were obtained at the HF/6-31G*//HF/6-31G* level. The results were supported, in many cases, by full geometry optimizations and with consideration of correlation corrections at the MP2 level. With the exception of the dihedral angle being studied, all of the molecules were fully optimized with C₁ symmetry. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Structural and vibrational analyses of t,C,t,T,t,T,t-deca-1,3,5,7,9-pentaene

An analysis of the results of the fluorescence spectrum investigation of all-trans-deca-1,3,5,7,9-pentaene and t,C,t,T,t,T,t-deca-1,3,5,7,9-pentaene in an n-decane matrix [B.E. Kohler, V. Terpougov, J. Chem. Phys. 108 (1998) 9586–9593] has been performed using scaled quantum mechanical force field (SQM-FF) methodology at the HF/6-31G level. The measured vibronic wavenumbers were assigned taking into account the results of quantum-chemical predictions of the vibrational spectra for all-trans-deca-1,3,5,7,9-pentaene and t,C,t,T,t,T,t-deca-1,3,5,7,9-pentaene. Results from additional calculations at the MP2(FC)/aug-cc-pVDZ and B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) levels are also reported.     

The NMR Coupling Constants,and Conformational and Structural Properties of Flexible Aldopyranosyl Rings: α- and β-D-Idopyranose

ABSTRACT

The flexible ring structures of α- and β-D-idopyranose have been investigated by conformational analysis using structures generated by MacroModel and GMMX search protocols. The lowest energy structures found during the conformer search for the ⁴ C ₁, ¹ C ₄, ^O S ₂ and the ³ S ₁ structures were then examined by AM1 and Gaussian ab initio methods at the HF/6-311G** and HF/6-31+G* levels. The B _2,5 conformer found for β-D-idopyranose at 14 kJ/mol by GMMX and 29.5 kJ/mol for α-D-idopyranose by MacroModel would not contribute to Boltzmann-averaged ¹H NMR coupling constants. The Merck MMFF force field tends to overweight the ¹ C ₄ structures, making these the lowest energy conformers for both anomers. Boltzmann-averaged coupling constants are heavily weighted by this structure in the MMFF search conformer ensemble. Averaged proton coupling constants determined using MMFF fit very well for α-D-idopyranose compared to the observed values, but fit poorly for the β-anomer. Ab initio results place the ¹ C ₄ conformer at lowest energy for the α-anomer and place the ⁴ C ₁ conformer at lowest energy for the β-anomer. The GMMX and MM3* force fields find the ⁴ C ₁ conformer to have the lowest energies for both anomers.     

An ab initio study of the structure,dissociation energy,and heat of formation of Na2S

The equilibrium geometries and fundamental frequencies of Na₂S are calculated at HF, MP2(FC, FU), and MP3 with the 6–31G(d) basis set and at HF and MP2(FC, FU) with the 6–31G(d) basis set, respectively. The total energy at MP2(FU)/6–31G(d)-optimized geometry is computed at MP4 with 6–311G(d, p), 6–311 + G(d, p), and 6–311G(2df, p), at QCISD(T)/6–311G(d, p), and at MP2/6–311G(3df, 2p) levels, respectively. The dissociation energy, the atomization energy, and the heat of formation for Na₂S are evaluated using the G1 and G2 models. The calculated results indicated that Na₂S in its ground state was a bent structure (C_2v). Electron correlation corrections on the bending angle are very significant. The equilibrium geometrical parameters are R_e(Na-S) = 2.45 Å and ∠Na-S-Na = 111.13° at the MP2(FU)/6–31G(d) level. The theoretically estimated dissociation energy, total atomization energy, and heat of formation are 67.07, 117.55, and 0.35 kcal mol⁻¹, respectively, at 298.15 K. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Predictive Abilities of Scaled Quantum Mechanical Molecular Force Fields: Application to 1,3-Butadiene

The positions of some IR bands of the s-trans-1,3-butadiene-h ₆ and -1,1,2-d ₃ isotopomers in the gas phase have been measured using a Brucker IFS 120 HR spectrometer with a resolution of 2 cm^–1. The structural parameters of the s-trans- and s-gauche-1,3-butadiene conformers were optimized completely at the MP2/6-31G* theoretical level and their MP2/6-31G*//MP2/6-31G* quantum mechanical force fields (QMFFs) were calculated. Using only the experimental vibrational frequencies of s-trans-1,3-butadiene-h ₆ the QMFF of the s-trans conformer was corrected by Pulay's scaling method (eight scale factors were involved). The scaled QMFF was used to calculate the mean vibrational amplitudes and the Coriolis coupling constants of s-trans-1,3-butadiene-h ₆ and the vibrational frequencies of 12 of its deuterated isotopomers. The set of scale factors obtained for correction of the s-trans QMFF was transferred to the QMFF of the s-gauche conformer. Its theoretical vibrational spectrum and those of some deuterated and C¹³ isotopomers were calculated. The ability of this scaling approach (transferring of scale factors) to predict the vibrational frequencies of rotational conformers and their isotopomers, as well as other molecular characteristics, and to permit detection of perturbations of the experimental bands are discussed.     

Density functional theory study on molecular structure and vibrational IR spectra of isocytosine

Density functional theory with the combined Becke3-LYP exchange-correlation energy functional [DFT(B3-LYP) method] using the 6-31G(d, p) basis set is applied to predict molecular parameters (geometries, rotational constants, dipole moments) and vibrational IR spectra (harmonic wavenumbers, absolute intensities) of six tautomers of the isocytosine molecule. The results are compared with the corresponding data calculated at the conventional ab initio Hartree-Fock (HF) level using the same basis set and with available experimental data. Calculations show that (a) three amino tautomers are slightly nonplanar species with, evidently, a distorted amino group, (b) the DFT (B3-LYP)/6-31G(d, p) method predicts better molecular parameters, than do the HF calculations, and (c) the DFT(B3-LYP)-calculated vibrational IR spectra of isocytosine agree well with the available recorded IR spectra, and they show marked improvement over the IR spectra predicted at the HF/6-31G(d, p) level. Tautomeric stabilities of isocytosine are discussed on the basis of computed electronic energies by the DFT(B3-LYP) and ab initio approaches [including the MP2 and MP4(SDQ) calculations of electronic energies] and predicted zero-point vibrational energies by DFT(B3-LYP) and HF methods. This relative energies at 0 K of the tautomeric forms of isocytosine predicted by both conventional ab initio and DFT(B3-LYP) methods correlate well with the experimental data, showing the predominance of the aminohydroxy tautomer of isocytosine for an isolated molecule. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Experimental and Quantum Chemical Studies of 5-Fluoroisatin-3-(N-Cyclohexylthiosemicarbazone) and Its Metal Complexes

Abstract

Zn(II) and Ni(II) complexes of 5-fluoroisatin-3-[-(N-cyclohexylthiosemicarbazone)] (H₂FIC) have been prepared and characterized structurally by means of elemental analyses, FTIR, electronic, and ¹H NMR spectra. The theoretical wavenumbers, IR intensities, and molecular parameters have been calculated by the ab-initio Hartree–Fock (HF) method with the LanL2DZ basis set. The theoretical wavenumbers show a good agreement with experimental data. The bond lengths, bond angles, the highest occupied molecular orbital energy (E_HOMO), the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy (E_LUMO), the energy gap between E_HOMO and E_LUMO (ΔE_HOMO-LUMO), dipole moment, and charges on the atoms of H₂FIC as monomer form were studied by the density functional theory/Becke-3-Lee-Yang-Parr (DFT/B3LYP) and ab-initio HF methods using 6-31G(d,p) basis set. The trimeric possible structure of H₂FIC was also investigated using HF method. The observed IR wavenumbers of the H₂FIC were analyzed in the light of the computed vibrational spectra of its monomer and trimer forms.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements to view the free supplemental file.     

Conformational Stability, Raman and Infrared Spectra, Vibrational Assignment, and Ab Initio Calculations of Allyltrifluorosilane

The Raman spectra (3500 to 30 cm^–1) of allyltrifluorosilane, CH₂CHCH₂SiF₃, in the liquid with quantitative depolarization ratios and solid states, and the infrared spectra (3500 to 30 cm^–1) of the gas and solid have been recorded. Additionally, the mid-infrared spectra of the sample dissolved in liquified xenon as a function of temperature (–100° to –55°C) have been recorded. All of these data indicate there are two conformers, the more stable gauche rotamer and a very small amount of the cis conformer in the fluid states, but only the gauche form remains in the polycrystalline solid. The variable temperature studies of the infrared spectrum of the xenon solution indicate a relatively large enthalpy difference of 354±30 cm^–1 (4.23±0.36 kJ/mol) between the conformers. The fundamental frequencies for the asymmetric (54 cm^–1) and SiF₃ (48 cm^–1) torsions for the gauche conformer were observed in the far infrared spectrum, and from the SiF₃ torsional frequency the barrier to internal rotation is calculated to have a value of 525 cm^–1 (6.28 kJ/mol). A complete vibrational assignment is presented for the gauche conformer that is consistent with the predicted wavenumbers utilizing the force constants from ab initio MP2/6-31G* calculations. The optimized geometries, conformational stabilities, harmonic force fields, infrared intensities, Raman activities, depolarization ratios, and vibrational wavenumbers have been obtained from RHF/6-31G* and/or MP2/6-31G* ab initio calculations. These quantities are compared to the corresponding experimental quantities when appropriate as well as with corresponding results for some similar molecules.Taken in part from the dissertation of Y. E. Nashed, which will be submitted to the Department of Chemistry in partial fulfillment of the Ph.D. degree     

Molecular orbital studies of polyethylene deformation

Young's modulus E for polyethylene in the chain direction is calculated with molecular orbital theory applied to n-alkanes C₃H₈ through n-C₁₃H₂₈ and analyzed with the cluster-difference method. Semiempirical CNDO, MNDO, and AM1 models and ab initio HF/STO-3G, HF/6-31G, HF/6-31G*, and MP2/6-31G* models are used. Cluster-difference results, when extrapolated to infinite chain length, give E in good agreement with moduli evaluated with molecular cluster or crystal orbital methods, provided minimal basis sets are employed. E decreases from 495 GPa (CNDO) to 336 GPa (MP2/6-31G*) as the level of theory is improved, consistent with established behaviors of the various models. Our calculations do not reproduce earlier molecular cluster or crystal orbital results, which gave E < 330 GPa. The most rigorous MP2/6-31G* model is known to overestimate force constants by ∼ 11%; the scaled modulus E = 299 GPa is in good accord with E = 306 GPa from recent calculations based on experimental vibration frequencies. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Why betaine crystallizes in high local Cs symmetry. An ab initio MO and DFT study of anhydrous betaine and betaine monohydrate

A theoretical study of the structure, charge distribution, rotational barrier and fundamental vibrations of anhydrous betaine (CH₃)₃NCH₂COO (trimethylglycine) was carried out and compared with available experimental data. Calculations were carried out at HF, MP2 and B3LYP levels using a 6-31+G(d,p) basis set. The calculated rotational barrier of the betaine carboxylic group is 40.5 kJ/mol at the MP4(SDQ)/6-311G(d,p)//HF/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory. The rotation of the carboxylic group changes the molecule from a highly symmetric (C _s ) conformation into a twisted conformation resulting in shortening of the molecule by about 50 pm. Natural population analysis (NPA) indicates intramolecular interaction between the carboxylic oxygen and the nearest methyl hydrogens resulting in internal hydrogen bonding. MP4(SDQ)/6-311G(d,p) single-point NPA calculations on a betaine monohydrate model taken from the X-ray geometry show an expected weakening in the internal hydrogen bond. Calculations explain why betaine preferentially crystallizes in high local C _s symmetry. Received: 24 March 1998 / Accepted: 3 September 1998 / Published online: 7 December 1998