Topology of energy hypersurfaces

Some of the basic notions of chemistry, associated with an energy function of several variables, are shown to be of topological character. Properties of potential energy hypersurfaces, structural relations, models for interconversion processes and transformations between such models suggest a topological theory (reaction topology) for the analysis of potential energy hypersurfaces. By introducing appropriate topologies into the nuclear configuration spaceR and equivalent topologies on the energy hypersurfaceE, rigorous definitions are given for fundamental chemical concepts such asmolecular structure andreaction mechanism. These definitions are based on the properties of the expectation value of energy, a quantum mechanical observable. Topologies based on curvature, structural and energetic relations of the energy hypersurface are proposed for a theoretical interpretation of molecular processes.     

Quantum chemical reaction networks,reaction graphs and the structure of potential energy hypersurfaces

Global properties of the Born-Oppenheimer energy expectation value functional, defined over the nuclear configuration space R, are analyzed. Quantum chemical reaction graphs and reaction networks are defined in terms of intersection graphs of connected sets of nuclear geometries, representing various chemical structures. The set of all possible reaction mechanisms on the given energy hypersurface and the associated activation energy conditions are analyzed using reachability matrices defined over digraphs D ^s() and D ^s(, E).     

The topology of catchment regions of potential energy hypersurfaces

A simple proof is presented for a fundamental topological property of catchment regions of potential energy hypersurfaces: each catchment region C(λ,i), representing a chemical species and its conformational range on the potential energy hypersurface, is simply k-connected for each dimension k=1,2,…3N−6−λ, where λ is the index of the catchment region. The consequences of this property on the structure of the fundamental group of reaction mechanisms (the one-dimensional homotopy group of reaction paths) is discussed. Received: 8 July 1998 / Accepted: 6 October 1998 / Published online: 23 February 1999     

The topology of energy hypersurfaces III. The fundamental group of reaction mechanisms on potential energy hypersurfaces

The family of all possible reaction mechanisms on a potential surface has an algebraic structure with potential applications in quantum chemical molecular design and synthesis planning.Transformation properties and equivalence relations of reaction paths on potential energy hypersurfaces lead to a topological definition of reaction mechanisms. The family of all fundamental reaction mechanisms on the hypersurface has a group structure,the fundamental group of an appropriately defined topological space. Isomorphism and homomorphism relations between fundamental groups of reaction mechanisms are used to characterize the chemically important topological properties of various subsets of a hypersurface, or those of different excited state hypersurfaces.     

Reactive domains of energy hypersurfaces and the stability of minimum energy reaction paths

Special properties of the Riemannian metric for energy hypersurfaces, defined within the framework of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, are utilized in devising a partitioning scheme for domains of nuclear coordinates. The chemically important coordinate domains are distinguished from domains of lesser importance by their curvature properties. Conditions are derived for the stability of minimum energy reaction paths, and the effects of instability regions are investigated. Instability domains along minimum energy paths may allow small vibrational perturbations to alter the outcome of the chemical reaction.     

Catchment region partitioning of energy hypersurfaces,I

The space of internal coordinates of a molecular system is partitioned into catchment regions of various critical points of the energy hypersurface. The partitioning is based on an ordering of steepest descent paths into equivalence classes. The properties of these catchment regions and their boundaries are analyzed and the concepts of chemical structure, reaction path and reaction mechanism are discussed within the framework of the Born-Oppenheimer and energy hypersurface approximations. Relations between catchment regions and the chemically important reactive domains of energy hypersurfaces, as well as models for branching of reaction mechanisms, caused by instability domainsD , 1, are investigated.     

The topology of energy hypersurfaces IV. Generator sets for the fundamental group of reaction mechanisms and the complete set of reaction paths

A countable set of distinguished fundamental reaction mechanisms on a potential surface serves as the set of generators for the fundamental group of reaction mechanisms. The effects of a change in the upper limit for energy on such groups are described with the aid of a lower semilattice, introduced into the family of all fundamental groups of reaction mechanisms, supported by the given potential energy surface. The algebraic structure of all reaction paths is described with the aid of groupoids and various subgroupoids and semigroups derived from them.     

Gradient extremals and valley floor bifurcations on potential energy surfaces

Gradient extremals are curves in configuration space denned by the condition that the gradient of the potential energy is an eigenvector of the Hessian matrix. Solutions of a corresponding equation go along a valley floor or along a crest of a ridge, if the norm of the gradient is a minimum, and along a cirque or a cliff or a flank of one of the two if the gradient norm is a maximum. Properties of gradient extremals are discussed for simple 2D model surfaces including the problem of valley bifurcations.     

The structural stability principle and branching points on multidimensional potential energy surfaces

The chemically interesting potential energy surfaces (PES) are considered on which the conditions underlying application of structural stability principle and Morse inequalities are violated. The possibility of treatment of singular branching points on a PES slope in terms of intrinsic reaction curves (IRC) is discussed.     

The topology of energy hypersurfaces V. Potential-defying chemical species: a global analysis of vibrational stabilization and destabilization on potential energy hypersurfaces

Local and global topological criteria for the existence or non-existence of potential defying chemical species are investigated. The number and type of chemical structures which are not indicated by the qualitative features of potential surfaces and which owe their existence to an interplay of vibrational stabilization and destabilization in various domains of potential surfaces are related to topological invariants of compact manifolds. The topological analysis implies that potential defying species (including both stable and transition structures) never occur alone, but several of them occur simultaneously. Conditions are given for the minimum number of potential defying species of various types.     

Following gradient extremal paths

Summary For any point on a gradient extremal path, the gradient is an eigenvector of the hessian. Two new methods for following the gradient extremal path are presented. The first greatly reduces the number of second derivative calculations needed by using a modified updating scheme for the hessian. The second method follows the gradient extremal using only the gradient, avoiding the hessian evaluation entirely. The latter algorithm makes it possible to use gradient extremals to explore energy surfaces at higher levels of theory for which analytical hessians are not available.Dedicated to Prof. Klaus Ruedenberg     

Gradient extremals

Gradient extremals on N-dimensional energy hypersurfaces V=V(x ₁ x _n ) are curves defined by the condition that the gradient V is an eigenvector of the hessian matrix V. For variations which are restricted to any (N–1) dimensional hypersurface V(x ₁ x _N ) = V ₀= constant, the absolute value of the gradient V is an extremum at those points where a gradient extremal intersects this surface. In many, though not all, cases gradient extremals go along the bottom of a valley or along the crest of a ridge. The properties of gradient extremals are discussed through a detailed differential analysis and illustrated by an explicit example. Multidimensional generalizations of gradient extremals are defined and discussed.Operated for the U.S. Department of Energy by Iowa State University under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-82. This work was supported by the Office of Basic Energy Sciences     

Symmetry and periodicity of potential surfaces: a test for multicenter interactions

Symmetry and periodicity of potential energy surfaces of chemical reactions and conformational changes are determined by the symmetry properties of the nuclear frameworks of all possible nuclear configurations of the given overall stoichiometry. For example, a mirror plane of a nuclear configuration implies a mirror plane of the potential surface (or that of the potential energy hypersurface in higher dimensions), and a local rotational symmetry of substituents implies a translational symmetry, that is, periodicity of the potential surface, if the latter is defined in terms of the usual bond length/bond angle internal coordinates. Such symmetry relations on potential surfaces are rather trivial consequences of molecular symmetry properties; however, when taken collectively for entire domains of nuclear configurations, they lead to nontrivial conclusions. Whereas symmetry properties and energy contents of individual conformations can be studied locally within limited domains of the potential surface, a global analysis of the potential surface may reveal significantly more. In this note, some consequences of the above approach are explored, and a simple test is proposed for the detection and evaluation of the importance of multicenter interactions in conformers related to one another by bond rotations.Dedicated to Professor J. Koutecký on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

The topology of energy hypersurfaces II. Reaction topology in euclidean spaces

By introducing equivalence classes of critical points of potential energy hypersurfaces a unique topological space, Reaction Topology (^3N E, T _C ) is defined over an Euclidean nuclear configuration space ^3N E for a system of N nuclei and k electrons. Relations between the topological concepts of molecular structure and reaction mechanism are analyzed. Topological equivalences between Euclidean and Riemannian representations of nuclear configuration spaces are exploited for the analysis of quantum mechanical reaction networks of all possible chemical reactions over the given potential energy hypersurface.     

Critical Points in a Crystal and Procrystal

The critical points in the model electron density distributions of LiF, NaF, NaCl, and MgO crystals, constructed from accurate X-ray diffraction data, are determined. For LiF and MgO they are compared with those obtained from a Hartree–Fock electron density calculation. Both experiment and theory show the same type of critical points on the bond lines. The topological features in areas between structural units, where the electron density is low and near-uniform, turn out to be model dependent and cannot be established well with the data available. Topological analysis of procrystals (hypothetical systems consisting of spherical atoms or ions placed on the same sites as atoms in real crystal) show that (3, –1) critical points, usually connected with bonding interaction, are observed on interatomic lines in these nonbonded systems as well.     

A gradient extremal walking algorithm

Gradient extremals define stream beds connecting stationary points on molecular potential energy surfaces. Using this concept we have developed an algorithm to determine transition states. We initiate walks at equilibrium geometries and follow the gradient extremals until a stationary point is reached. As an illustration we have investigated the mechanism for exchange of protons on carbon in methylenimine (H₂C=NH) using a multi-reference self-consistent-field wave function.     

Analysis of critical points on the potential energy surface

A simple classification scheme is proposed for critical points, based only on rankr and signatures of the (n,n)-matrixG of harmonic force constants. The determination ofr ands, e.g. by the well-known factorizationG=L ^T gL (L: triangular matrix,g: diagonal matrix), has several theoretical as well as practical (computational) advantages over the inspection of eigenvalues ofG, so far used in quantum chemistry. The eigenvalues are sufficient butnot necessary for a classification whereas rank and signature are the only necessary and sufficient prerequisites for solving the task. For the purpose of presenting a working example, by calculating only a 2×2 torque constant matrix, it is shown that the coplanar ethylbenzene is unstable in the CNDO/2 picture.     

Stationary points on the H2CO potential energy surface: dependence on theoretical level

A total of 36 stationary points have been located on the H₂CO potential energy surface by means of gradient extremal following. These 36 points are believed to represent all the important stationary points on this surface. There is no indication that the structure of the surface becomes less complicated as the size of the basis set is enlarged at the Hartree-Fock level of theory, but many of the second- and third-order saddle points disappear when electron correlation is introduced. Of the ten first-order saddle points (transition structures) located, the majority have reaction paths entering the associated minima in a side-on approach, i.e. these cannot be located by uphill walking from the minimum. Received: 5 February 1998 / Accepted: 21 May 1998 / Published online: 29 July 1998     

Symmetry analysis of the potential energy surfaces for the photochemical decomposition of formaldehyde

Orbital Correspondence Analysis in Maximum Symmetry (OCAMS) is applied to the decomposition pathways of formaldehyde to H₂ + CO and to H + HCO. The symmetry adapted nuclear motions, which are preferentially incorporated in the energetically favoured fragmentation pathways on both the ground and excited state surfaces are singled out. The results of this analysis are in full agreement with those of published potential energy surfaces and consistent with the results of experimental investigations reported in the literature. The nuclear motions favouring the various processes thus appear to be deducible from considerations of orbital symmetry.This work was carried out during tenure of a Minerva Foundation grant to one of us. (E.A.H.)     

Newton leaves on potential energy surfaces

The reaction path (RP) is an important concept of theoretical chemistry. We generalize the definition of the Newton trajectory (NT), as an RP, to Newton leaves in a higher dimensional subspace of the configuration space. Our standpoint is that of Bofill and Anglada [(2001) Theor. Chem. Acc. 105:436], who used a reduced potential energy surface for finding an RP. An NT follows an RP curve where the gradient is always a pointer to a fixed direction. More generally, a Newton leaf is a subspace of coordinates where the gradient can move in a subspace of directions. We report some known mathematical properties of Newton leaves. We explain the construction of Newton leaves with the example of a 3D test surface in ⁴ [W.Quapp et al. (1998) Theor. Chem. Acc. 100:285], because three coordinate dimensions are the smallest number of dimensions one needs at least to understand a Newton leaf in contrast to the known NTs.Acknowledgement The work was made possible through financial support of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. The authors thank D. Heidrich for stimulating discussions.