XMVB: a program for ab initio nonorthogonal valence bond computations

An ab initio nonorthogonal valence bond program, called XMVB, is described in this article. The XMVB package uses Heitler-London-Slater-Pauling (HLSP) functions as state functions, and calculations can be performed with either all independent state functions for a molecule or preferably a few selected important state functions. Both our proposed paired-permanent-determinant approach and conventional Slater determinant expansion algorithm are implemented for the evaluation of the Hamiltonian and overlap matrix elements among VB functions. XMVB contains the capabilities of valence bond self-consistent field (VBSCF), breathing orbital valence bond (BOVB), and valence bond configuration interaction (VBCI) computations. The VB orbitals, used to construct VB functions, can be defined flexibly in the calculations depending on particular applications and focused problems, and they may be strictly localized, delocalized, or bonded-distorted (semidelocalized). The parallel version of XMVB based on MPI (Message Passing Interface) is also available.     

A Valence Bond Study of the Low‐Lying States of the NF Molecule

The electronic structures of the three lowest‐lying states of NF are investigated by means of modern valence bond (VB) methods such as the VB self‐consistent field (VBSCF), breathing orbital VB (BOVB), and VB configuration interaction (VBCI) methods. The wave functions for the three states are expressed in terms of 9–12 VB structures, which can be further condensed into three or four classical Lewis structures, whose weights are quantitatively estimated. Despite the compactness of the wave functions, the BOVB and VBCI methods reproduce the spectroscopic properties and dipole moments of the three states well, in good agreement with previous computational studies and experimental values. By analogy to the isoelectronic O₂ molecule, the ground state ³Σ^? possesses both a σ bond and 3‐electron π bonds. However, here the polar σ bond contributes the most to the overall bonding. It is augmented by a fractional (19 %) contribution of three‐electron π bonding that arises from π charge transfer from fluorine to nitrogen. In the singlet ¹Δ and ¹Σ⁺ excited states the π‐bonding component is classically covalent, and it contributes 28 % and 37 % to the overall bonding picture for the two states, respectively. The resonance energies are calculated and reveal that π bonding contributes at least 24, 35 and 42 kcal mol^?1 to the total bonding energies of the ³Σ^?, ¹Δ and ¹Σ⁺ states, respectively. Some unusual properties of the NF molecule, like the equilibrium distance shortening and bonding energy increasing upon excitation, the counterintuitive values of the dipole moments and the reversal of the dipole moments as the bond is stretched, are interpreted in the light of the simple valence bond picture. The overall polarity of the molecule is very small in the ground state, and is opposite to the relative electronegativity of N vs F in the singlet excited states. The values of the dipole moments in the three states are quantitatively accounted for by the calculated weights of the VB structures.     

Two States Are Not Enough: Quantitative Evaluation of the Valence‐Bond Intramolecular Charge‐Transfer Model and Its Use in Predicting Bond Length Alternation Effects

The structural weights of the canonical resonance contributors used in the Two‐state valence‐bond charge‐transfer model, neutral (N, R1) and ionic (VB‐CT, R2), to the ground states and excited states of a series of linear dipolar intramolecular charge‐transfer chromophores containing a buta‐1,3‐dien‐1,4‐diyl bridge have been computed by using the block‐localized wavefunction (BLW) method at the B3LYP/6‐311+G(d) level to provide the first quantitative assessment of this simple model. Ground‐ and excited‐state analysis reveals surprisingly low ground‐state structural weights for the VB‐CT resonance form using either this Two‐state model or an expanded Ten‐state model. The VB‐CT state is found to be more prominent in the excited state. Individual resonance forms were structurally optimized to understand the origins of the bond length alternation (BLA) of the bridging unit. Using a Wheland energy‐based weighting scheme, the weighted average of the optimized bond lengths with the Two‐state model was unable to reproduce the BLA features with values 0.04 to 0.02 Å too large compared to the fully delocalized (FD) structure (BLW: ca. ?0.13 to ?0.07 Å, FD: ca. ?0.09 to ?0.05 Å). Instead, an expanded Ten‐state model fit the BLA values of the FD structure to within only 0.001 Å of FD.     

Implementation of molecular symmetry in valence bond calculation

A novel strategy for the construction of many-electron symmetry-adapted wave function is proposed for ab initio valence bond (VB) calculations and is implemented for valence bond self-consistent filed (VBSCF) and breathing orbital valence bond (BOVB) methods with various orbital optimization algorithms. Symmetry-adapted VB functions are constructed by the projection operator of symmetry group. The many-electron symmetry-adapted wave function is expressed in terms of symmetry-adapted VB functions, and thus the VB calculations can be performed with the molecular symmetry restriction. Test results show that molecular symmetry reduces the computational cost of both the iteration numbers and CPU time. Furthermore, excited states with specific symmetry can be conveniently obtained in VB calculations by using symmetry-adapted VB functions.     

Multi‐state multi‐reference Møller–Plesset second‐order perturbation theory for molecular calculations

This work presents multi‐state multi‐reference Møller–Plesset second‐order perturbation theory as a variant of multi‐reference perturbation theory to treat electron correlation in molecules. An effective Hamiltonian is constructed from the first‐order wave operator to treat several strongly interacting electronic states simultaneously. The wave operator is obtained by solving the generalized Bloch equation within the first‐order interaction space using a multi‐partitioning of the Hamiltonian based on multi‐reference Møller–Plesset second‐order perturbation theory. The corresponding zeroth‐order Hamiltonians are nondiagonal. To reduce the computational effort that arises from the nondiagonal generalized Fock operator, a selection procedure is used that divides the configurations of the first‐order interaction space into two sets based on the strength of the interaction with the reference space. In the weaker interacting set, only the projected diagonal part of the zeroth‐order Hamiltonian is taken into account. The justification of the approach is demonstrated in two examples: the mixing of valence Rydberg states in ethylene, and the avoided crossing of neutral and ionic potential curves in LiF. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2006     

Optimized Jastrow-Slater wave functions for ground and excited states: application to the lowest states of ethene

A quantum Monte Carlo method is presented for determining multideterminantal Jastrow-Slater wave functions for which the energy is stationary with respect to the simultaneous optimization of orbitals and configuration interaction coefficients. The approach is within the framework of the so-called energy fluctuation potential method which minimizes the energy in an iterative fashion based on Monte Carlo sampling and a fitting of the local energy fluctuations. The optimization of the orbitals is combined with the optimization of the configuration interaction coefficients through the use of additional single excitations to a set of external orbitals. A new set of orbitals is then obtained from the natural orbitals of this enlarged configuration interaction expansion. For excited states, the approach is extended to treat the average of several states within the same irreducible representation of the pointgroup of the molecule. The relationship of our optimization method with the stochastic reconfiguration technique by Sorella et al. is examined. Finally, the performance of our approach is illustrated with the lowest states of ethene, in particular with the difficult case of the 1(1)B(1u) state.     

价键理论新进展

概要介绍了现代价键理论的几个主要方法,并讨论了它们各自的特点及其发展现状,并重点介绍了键表方法的基本理论、计算程序及一些应用。     

An efficient algorithm for complete active space valence bond self‐consistent field calculation

This article describes a novel algorithm for the optimization of valence bond self‐consistent field (VBSCF) wave function for a complete active space (CAS), so‐called VBSCF(CAS). This was achieved by applying the strategies adopted in the optimization of CASSCF wave functions to VBSCF(CAS) wave functions, using an auxiliary orthogonal orbital set that generates the same configuration space as the original nonorthogonal orbital set. Theoretical analyses and test calculations show that the VBSCF(CAS) method shares the same computational scaling as CASSCF. The test calculations show the current capability of VBSCF method, which involves millions of VB structures. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Structure of molecular energy levels of homonuclear diatomic molecules

A new approach is given for the systematic prediction of the low‐lying electronic states of homonuclear diatomic molecules. The approach is based on the bond order and the energy levels of the separated atoms. The asymptotic wave functions are derived from two atomic wave functions by using new operators defined as linear combinations of certain ladder operators. We show that the low angular moment states tend to have a high bond order in the states derived from an asymptote. The observed low‐lying states of C₂, C, Sc₂, and Ti₂ molecules agree with the predictions. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 72: 597–604, 1999     

Efficient algorithm for the spin-free valence bond theory. I. New strategy and primary expressions

A new algorithm for nonorthogonal valence bond (VB) method is presented by using symmetric group approach. In the present algorithm, a new function, called paired-permanent-determinant (PPD), is defined, which is an algebrant and has the same symmetry of a corresponding VB structure. The evaluation of a PPD is carried out by using a recursion formula similar to the Laplace expansion method for determinants. An overlap matrix element in the spin-free VB method may be obtained by evaluating a corresponding PPD, while the Hamiltonian matrix element is expressed in terms of the products of electronic integrals and sub-PPDs. In the present work, some important properties of PPDs are discussed, and the primary procedure for the evaluation of PPD is deduced. Furthermore, the expressions for evaluating both the overlap and Hamiltonian matrix elements are also given in details, which are essential to develop an efficient algorithm for nonorthogonal VB calculations. In the present study, some further effective technical considerations will be adopted, and a new ab initio VB program will be introduced. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 67: 287–297, 1998     

The Valence-Bond (VB) Model and Its Intimate Relationship to the Symmetric or Permutation Group

VB and molecular orbital (MO) models are normally distinguished by the fact the first looks at molecules as a collection of atoms held together by chemical bonds while the latter adopts the view that each molecule should be regarded as an independent entity built up of electrons and nuclei and characterized by its molecular structure. Nevertheless, there is a much more fundamental difference between these two models which is only revealed when the symmetries of the many-electron Hamiltonian are fully taken into account: while the VB and MO wave functions exhibit the point-group symmetry, whenever present in the many-electron Hamiltonian, only VB wave functions exhibit the permutation symmetry, which is always present in the many-electron Hamiltonian. Practically all the conflicts among the practitioners of the two models can be traced down to the lack of permutation symmetry in the MO wave functions. Moreover, when examined from the permutation group perspective, it becomes clear that the concepts introduced by Pauling to deal with molecules can be equally applied to the study of the atomic structure. In other words, as strange as it may sound, VB can be extended to the study of atoms and, therefore, is a much more general model than MO.     

On the construction of diabatic and adiabatic potential energy surfaces based on ab initio valence bond theory

A theoretical model is presented for deriving effective diabatic states based on ab initio valence bond self-consistent field (VBSCF) theory by reducing the multiconfigurational VB Hamiltonian into an effective two-state model. We describe two computational approaches for the optimization of the effective diabatic configurations, resulting in two ways of interpreting such effective diabatic states. In the variational diabatic configuration (VDC) method, the energies of the diabatic states are variationally minimized. In the consistent diabatic configuration (CDC) method, both the configuration coefficients and orbital coefficients are simultaneously optimized to minimize the adiabatic ground-state energy in VBSCF calculations. In addition, we describe a mixed molecular orbital and valence bond (MOVB) approach to construct the CDC diabatic and adiabatic states for a chemical reaction. Note that the VDC-MOVB method has been described previously. Employing the symmetric S(N)2 reaction between NH(3) and CH(3)NH(3)(+) as a test system, we found that the results from ab initio VBSCF and from ab initio MOVB calculations using the same basis set are in good agreement, suggesting that the computationally efficient MOVB method is a reasonable model for VB simulations of condensed phase reactions. The results indicate that CDC and VDC diabatic states converge, respectively, to covalent and ionic states as the molecular geometries are distorted from the minimum of the respective diabatic state along the reaction coordinate. Furthermore, the resonance energy that stabilizes the energy of crossing between the two diabatic states, resulting in the transition state of the adiabatic ground-state reaction, has a strong dependence on the overlap integral between the two diabatic states and is a function of both the exchange integral and the total diabatic ground-state energy.     

Kekulé-based Valence Bond Model. II. Diels-Alder Reactivity of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

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Electrically Controlled Eight‐Spin‐Qubit Entangled‐State Generation in a Molecular Break Junction

The generation of spin‐based multi‐qubit entangled states in the presence of an electric field is one of the most challenging tasks in current quantum‐computing research. Such examples are still elusive. By using non‐equilibrium Green′s function‐based quantum‐transport calculations in combination with non‐collinear spin density functional theory, we report that an eight‐spin‐qubit entangled state can be generated with the high‐spin state of a dinuclear Fe(II) complex when the system is placed in a molecular break junction. The possible gate operation scheme, gating time, and decoherence issues have been carefully addressed. Furthermore, our calculations reveal that the preservation of the high spin state of this complex is possible if the experimentalists keep the electric‐field strength below 0.78 V nm^?1. In brief, the present study offers a unique way to realize the first example of a multi‐qubit entangled state by electrical means only.     

VB2000: Pushing valence bond theory to new limits

Full valence bond (VB) calculations for a system of N electrons have always been hindered by the rapidly growing value of N!, which effectively imposes a limit N < 20. Often, however, not all electrons in a molecule are of interest; if we focus on a “group” G of N_G electrons (e.g., in an “active” region), then it is N_G! that sets the limit. In this work, group function (GF) theory is used to represent a molecule as a collection of interacting electron groups, each with a many‐electron wave function of any chosen form (e.g., VB, MO‐SCF, MCSCF), and each GF is optimized individually in a step‐by‐step process. An efficient VB algorithm allows for up to 14 electrons in any VB group and this combination of GF and VB methods greatly extends the range of feasibility of molecular calculations with VB‐type wave functions: Thus, (1) a large system can be divided into any number of smaller subsystems (groups); (2) each group may contain any chosen number of electrons; (3) the form of any group function (including its level of accuracy) may be chosen at will by the program user. A number of sample calculations are briefly presented. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2002     

NBO‐based CI/MP through‐space/bond interaction analysis and its application to stereoelectronic effects in SN2 reactions

NBO‐based CI/MP through‐space/bond interaction analysis was developed to analyze specific orbital interactions under consideration of the effects of electron correlation. This treatment was applied to the analysis of stereoelectronic effects in S_N2 reactions of allyl bromide in which the effects of electron correlation play an important role (ammonia was used as the nucleophilic reagent). The S_N2 activation energy in allyl bromide is lower than that in propyl bromide, because both the σ–π* and π–σ* interactions in allyl bromide contribute equally to the stabilization of the transition state. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005