Ab initio Calculations of the potential energy surface of the reaction of singlet methylene with the hydrogen molecule

The potential energy surface for the insertion of singlet methylene into H₂ has been computed on theab initio SCF level as well as with inclusion of electron correlation by means of the CEPA method. The results are compared with those of previous semiempirical,ab initio SCF and CI calculations. The system is a prototype of a reaction where an allowed and a symmetry-forbidden path can compete. The electron correlation energy was found to be very different for different regions of the surface, but did not have much influence on the optimum reaction path. From the computed heat of the reaction, the heat of formation of singlet methylene was estimated to be 101.5 kcal/mol. According to the calculations the reaction does not need any activation energy.     

Theoretical studies of atmospheric molecules: SCF and correlated energy levels for the NO2, NO 2 + and NO 2 − systems

SCF and MC-SCF/CI calculations were carried out on the low-lying electronic states of NO₂, NO ₂ ⁺ and NO ₂ ^– , using a double-zeta quality basis set of contracted Gaussian functions. The calculations were performed primarily at the equilibrium geometry (R _NO = 2.25 a_o, _ONO=134 °) of theX ² A ₁ state of NO₂. SCF calculations on NO ₂ ⁺ in a linear conformation were also performed. Results are presented and compared with experiment and other calculations.Research supported in part by Air Force Delivery Orders F33615-72-M-5015 and MIPR889474-00117 and Air Force Office of Scientific Research and in part by the United States Energy Research and Development Administration.     

Non-empirical SCF MO studies on the protonation of biopolymer constituents

Proton affinities of a large number of tautomeric adenine and guanine structures have been calculated using theab initio Hartree-Fock-Roothaan SCF method. For guanine, and to a lesser extent for adenine, it is likely that several protonated forms may co-exist in acidic solutions. Protonation at the free adenine and guanine positions in DNA may introduce effective acceptor levels between the energy bands of the polymer that may cause fundamental changes in the conduction properties of DNA.     

Ab initio study of hydrazoic acid

SCF and CI calculations were carried out on the ground^1A state of HN₃. The equilibrium geometry and vibration frequencies were computed. The results point to a planar structure (groupC _s) but to a non-linear (170 °) N-N-N conformation. The calculated vibration frequencies are in fair agreement with experimental assignments.The dissociation path of the molecule to NH and N₂ products was investigated and compared to the isoelectronic reaction of diazomethane. The dissociation energy of hydrazoic acid is estimated to be about –8 kcal/mole, with a potential barrier to dissociation of about 30 kcal/mole.Boursier IRSIA     

Non-empirical SCF MO studies on the protonation of biopolymer constituents

Side-chain proton affinities for a series of peptide-forming amino acids have been calculated using ab initio Hartree-Fock-Roothaan SCF method; the order of proton affinities is Arg > His > Ser Tyr Lys. Protonation of some side-chains in a protein may introduce new energy levels in the band gaps thus fundamentally altering the conduction properties of the proteins.This paper is dedicated to Professor H. Hartmann for his 65th birthday.Guest at the Laboratory of the National Foundation for Cancer Research at the Chair of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg.     

Ab initio studies of the low-lying π-states of borazine

Self-consistent-field and configuration-interaction studies were performed on borazine, using a double-zeta basis set augmented by six diffuse -functions. Low-lying singlet and triplet states of the A ₁ , A ₂ and E species were calculated, corresponding to ^* excited valence and Rydberg states. A selection out of singly and doubly excited configurations relative to a set of reference configurations was made for each species. Calculated vertical excitation energies (in eV) are 7.12 for ¹ A ₂(V), 8.45 for ¹ E (3p-R), 8.57 for ¹ A ₁(V), 8.9 for ¹ E(V-R), 9.55 for ¹ E(3d-R), 6.98 for ³ A ₁(_V), 7.27 for ³ E(V), 7.82 for ³ A ₂(V), 8.30 for ³ E(3p-R), and 9.5 for ³ E(3d-R), where V and R refer to valence or Rydberg character. The results are compared with experimental excitation energies, previous ab initio studies of borazine, and with recent ab initio studies of benzene.Dedicated to Professor Dr. H. Hartmann on the occasion of his 65th birthday.     

Ab initio Calculation of the charge distribution and the ligand field splitting in the tetrahedral halo complexes CuCl 4 2− 4 and NiCl 4 2−

The charge distribution and the ligand field splitting in the tetrachloro complexes CuCl ₄ ^2– and NiCl ₄ ^2– have been investigated by means of the restricted Hartree-Fock method. A rather large basis set of contracted Gaussian type orbitals has been employed. The charge distributions have been analysed by means of Mulliken population analyses. The ligand field splitting 10Dq has been compared with literature results known for the octahedral cluster NiF ₆ ^4– occurring in KNiF₃. A detailed analysis has been carried out for CuCl ₄ ^2– . From calculations on a selected number of states of NiCl ₄ ^2– the Racah parameters B and C have been obtained.     

Ab initio calculation of the band structure of some boron-nitrogen polymers

Ab initio calculations using a Gaussian orbital basis set were performed on the two boron-nitrogen polymer systems polyaminoborane and polyboronimide. For the polyaminoborane system an alternating B-N bond model appears to be more stable than a symmetric B-N bond model. An electron drift from the NH₂ group to the BH₂ moiety was calculated for both models although the nitrogen atom was found to possess a negative charge stemming from polarization of the N-H bonds. The energy band diagrams derived from both models show rather featureless bands indicative of weakly interactive systems although that of polyboronimide indicates that it is a more delocalized system than its saturated counterpart. The conduction and valence bands at the X-point are composed of orbitals and the lowest electronic transition is predicted to be —* in nature. The electron distribution of polyboronimide indicates a movement of -electrons from the boron to the nitrogen coupled with a smaller -electron drift from the nitrogen to the boron.     

Ab initio Studies on polymers

Ab initio crystal orbital calculations have been performed on the infinite all-trans polyene. A structure with r _c=c= 1.346 Å, r _c-c = 1.446 Å, r _c-h = 1.08 Å, and CCC = 125.3 ° was found to be most stable. The most important force constants, the band structure and the density of states were determined as well.     

Clusters of hydrogen molecules: Ab initio SCF calculations corrected semiempirically for correlation energies

Stabilization energy of the (H₂) _n clusters (n = 2–8) was calculated as a sum of the SCF interaction energy and the semiempirical interaction correlation energy estimated according to Sinanolu and Pamuk. Optimum successive attachment of hydrogen molecules leads to the formation of a gas-phase solvation shell consisting of seven hydrogen molecules. Basis set effect has been found to be important with all clusters under study. The non-additivity effect was investigated with the (H₂)₄ cluster. Vertical ionization potentials of the clusters considered are predicted to be 0.4–0.6 eV lower than the ionization potential of the parent H₂ molecule.     

Molecular constants for the 1Σ+ ground state of the ArH+ ion

From the near equilibrium PNO-CEPA potential and dipole moment curves the following molecular constants for the ¹⁺ ground state of the ArH⁺ ion have been calculated: r _e = 1.286Å, _e = 2723 cm^–1, _{e e} = 56 cm^–1, D ₀ = 3.89 eV and ₀ = 2.384 D. The rotationless radiative lifetimes of the five lowest vibrational states are predicted to be 2.28, 1.2, 0.85, 0.64, 0.46 for ArH⁺ and 9.09, 4.71, 3.27, 2.55 and 2.11 for ArD⁺, respectively (all values are in milliseconds and in ascending order of the vibrational levels).Dedicated to Prof. Hermann Hartmann on the occasion of his 65th birthday.     

An ab initio study of formamide

Calculated energy and molecular properties of the ground and low-energy excited states of formamide are presented at the ground state geometry. Satisfactory results are obtained except for the ¹* energy which remains too high by 1 eV (which is nevertheless a large improvement over previous calculations). The predicted triplet energies lie at 5.4 eV (³ n*) and 5.8 eV (³*).     

Application of intermolecular SCF-perturbation theory to the regioselectivity in the Diels-Alder reaction

Intermolecular perturbation theory in the density matrix formalism is applied to investigate the directional behaviour of an electron-donating (-CH₃) or an electron-accepting (-CN) group in 1- or 2-substituted butadienes in the Diels-Alder reaction with acrylonitrile. The calculated CNDO/2 perturbation energies are analysed in three different ways by considering: a) the different perturbation energies, b) the diatomic parts of the interaction energy and c) the HOMO-LUMO contribution to the second-order energy. The regioselectivity is due to a subtle balance of charge-transfer interactions and steric effects of the substituents on the diene and the dienophile. The changes of intra- and intermolecular diatomic energy contributions are correlated with the process of bond formation and bond weakening. The intermolecular perturbation energies are dominated by pairwise interactions between the terminal C-atoms and by the secondary Woodward-Hoffmann interaction. These three localized interactions determine the endo addition and reflect the orienting power of the substituents.     

Quantum mechanical studies of environmental effects on biomolecules

LCAO SCF calculations with a (7s, 3p/3s) atomic basis are performed on urea and hydrated urea in order to determine the preferred sites of water fixation using the supermolecule approach. It appears that up to five water molecules can be directly bound to urea in the first hydration shell.     

Ab initio Study of β-lactam antibiotics

Ab initio SCF-MO-LCAO calculations have been performed with a 7s3p/3s GTO basis set for the CH₃O--lactam + OH^– reaction which is related to the mode of action of -lactam antibiotics. The comparison of the present results with the previous ones for -lactam + OH^– and 3-cephem + OH^– shows that the CH₃O substitution has a negligible effect on the amidic bond breaking of -lactam, so that this group probably influences other steps of the antibiotic reactivity of cephaloporins.     

Theoretical approach of the conformations of benzylidene aniline using the PCILO method

The conformational properties of benzylidene aniline (BA) were investigated using the PCILO method. Evidence has been provided that the optimization of geometry plays a prominent part, in agreement with recent experimental work on photoelectron spectroscopy by Haselbach.     

SCF-CI studies on the electronic ground state of water: Potential energy hypersurface and spectroscopic constants

Large-scale Hartree-Fock self-consistent field calculations, employing extended Gaussian basis sets, and configuration interaction studies are performed to calculate the energy hypersurface of the electronic ground state of the water molecule and to investigate the accuracy requirements in view of the determination of molecular spectroscopic constants. From the calculated points on the hypersurface the theoretical equilibrium geometry, the force field through fourth order, the spectroscopic constants _i, x_ij, _i as well as the Darling-Dennison and Fermi resonance constants are evaluated. The CI surface yields an equilibrium structure for H₂O withr _e = 0.9501 Å and _e=105.33 ° (r _exp = 0.9572 Å and _exp = 104.52 °). The vibrational levels are obtained with a systematic error of about 2 percent and the rotational constants to about 1 percent compared to spectroscopic data. The relative energy maximum corresponding to the linear structure with = is calculated to be 11890cm^–1, within the error limits of the values deduced from experimental measurements.     

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.     

Semiempirical studies of core-electron binding energy shifts

The inner-core binding-energy shifts (BEs) of boron and carbon atoms in various chemical environments were studied by the semiempirical Self-Consistent Charge Molecular Orbital (SCC MO) method. The calculations are based on the initial ground state electrostatic potential model. The main feature of our approach is the empirical treatment of the coefficient relating BEs with the orbital populations of the host atom and the Madelung energy term. These adjustable parameters absorb a large portion of relaxation energy. The so obtained results are in good agreement with experimental data. They are better than earlier CNDO/2 results obtained by using either ground state or relaxation potential models. Present results indicate that semiempirical methods like SCC MO are able to account for changes in BE(1s) with a fair accuracy although the inner-shell electrons are not explicitly considered in the actual calculations.