Binding energies of hydrogen-bonded clusters from extrapolation-oriented basis sets

The MP2 and CCSD(T) basis set limit binding energies of various hydrogen-bonded clusters were estimated via basis set extrapolation employing the correlation consistent aug-cc-pVDZ and modified aug-cc-pVDZ set containing extra polarization functions from cc-pVTZ set. By adopting the optimal interval for the difference between the cardinal numbers (X) corresponding to two basis sets in the X ⁻³ type extrapolation scheme the estimated binding energies for (H₂O)_n and (HF)_n (n=3−5) are shown to be close to the reference basis set limit values within the error bounds in many cases, manifesting the significance of these basis sets in studying the structures and binding of large hydrogen-bonded clusters.     

Compact contracted basis sets for third-row atoms: Ga–Kr

The (14s11p5d) primitive basis set of Dunning for the third-row main group atoms Ga-Kr has been contracted [6s4p1d]. The core functions have been relatively highly contracted while those which represent the valence region have been left uncontracted to maintain flexibility. Calculations with the [6s4p1d] contraction are reported for a variety of molecules involving third-row atoms. This basis set is found to satisfactorily reproduce experimental properties such as geometric configurations, dipole moments, and vibrational frequencies for a range of molecules. Comparisons are made with the performance of the uncontracted basis set. Polarization functions for the contracted basis set are reported and performance of the basis set with and without polarization functions is examined. A relaxation of the [6s4p1d] contraction to [9s6p2d] for higher level evergy calculations is also presented.     

Additivity model for calculations of UHF spin densities in some aza-aromatic radical anions

The concept of a universal basis set for electronic structure calculation is illustrated by presenting results obtained when basis sets are transferred from one atom to another. A single Slater-orbital basis set, consisting of nine 1s and six 2p functions, produces Hartree-Fock total energies and orbital energies in good agreement with the most accurate calculations of these energies obtained using different basis sets individually optimized for each atom. Transferability of integrals is a natural consequence of the use of the same basis set for each atom in a molecule.     

Optimization of Gaussian basis sets for Dirac-Hartree-Fock calculations

We investigate the optimization of Gaussian basis sets for relativistic calculations within the framework of the restricted Dirac-Hartree-Fock (DHF) method for atoms. We compare results for Rn of nonrelativistic and relativistic basis set optimizations with a finite nuclear-size. Optimization of separate sets for each spin-orbit component shows that the basis set demands for the lower j component are greater than for the higher j component. In particular, the p _1/2 set requires almost as many functions as the s _1/2 set. This implies that for the development of basis sets for heavy atoms, the symmetry type for which a given number of functions is selected should be based on j, not on l, as has been the case in most molecular calculations performed to date.     

Reduced-diabatic vibrational close coupled treatment of molecular dissociation dynamics

A close coupled treatment in a vibrational adiabatic representation is applied to the study of molecular photodissociation dynamics. The procedure which is developed here involves three steps: transformation from a diabatic to an adiabatic basis set, truncation of the adiabatic basis set, back transformation to a reduced–diabatic basis set. In the two model cases which are studied, dissociation spectra show complicated peaks and dips, patterns interpreted in terms of shape and Feshbach resonances associated to vibrational predissociation with a relatively high potential barrier in the excited state. An important reduction in the number of channels required for a given final accuracy can be reached by using the reduced–diabatic basis set instead of the usual diabatic one. This is very promising for studying energy partitioning in molecular systems with several internal degrees of freedom taking part in the dynamics.     

H2O,H2, HF,F2 and F2O nuclear magnetic shielding constants and indirect nuclear spin–spin coupling constants (SSCCs) in the BHandH/pcJ‐n and BHandH/XZP Kohn–Sham limits

Good performance of segmented contracted basis sets XZP, where X = D, T, Q and 5, for obtaining H₂O, H₂, HF, F₂ and F₂O nuclear isotropic shielding constants in the BHandH Kohn–Sham basis set limit was shown. The results of two‐ and three‐parameter complete basis set limit extrapolation schemes were compared with experimental results, earlier literature data and benchmark ab initio results. Similar convergence patterns of shieldings obtained from calculations using general purpose XZP basis sets and from polarization‐consistent basis sets pcS‐n and pcJ‐n, where n = 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4, designed to accurately predict magnetic properties were observed. On the contrary, the SSCCs were more sensitive to the XZP basis set size and generally less accurate than those estimated using pcJ‐n basis set family. The BHandH density functional markedly outperforms B3LYP method in predicting heavy atom shieldings and SSCCs values in the studied systems. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reliability of atomic natural orbital basis sets in calculations involving pseudopotentials

The performance of Atomic Natural Orbital (ANO) basis sets for calculations involving nonempirical core pseudopotentials has been studied by comparing the results for atomic and molecular nitrogen obtained using contracted ANO basis sets with those obtained using both the primitive set and a segmented one. The primitive set has been optimized at the SCF level for atomic N treated as a five-electron pseudo-atom, and consists of 7s and 7p primitive GTOs supplemented by 2d and 1f GTOs optimized at the CI level. From this primitive set three contracted [3s 3p 2d 1f] sets have been obtained. The first one has been derived from the ANOs of the neutral atom, the second has been obtained from an averaged density matrix and the third one is a segmented set. For the atom, the segmented set gives a zero contraction error at the SCF level as it must be in valence-only calculations. The ANO basis sets show some small contraction error at the SCF level but perform better in CI calculations. However, for the diatomic N₂ molecule the ANO basis sets exhibit a rather large contraction error in the calculated SCF energy. A detailed analysis of the origin of this error is reported, which shows that the conventional strategy used to derive ANO basis sets does not work very well when pseudopotentials are involved.     

The accurate calculation of dipole moments and dipole polarizabilities using Gaussian-based density functional methods

Dipole moments and static dipole polarizabilities have been calculated for a number of small molecules using the linear combination of Gaussian-type orbitals–local spin density method. The effect of augmenting standard orbital basis sets with polarization functions has been investigated. A set of optimum ζ_d, for use in calculating polarizabilities, has been derived for the first-row atoms C, N, O, and F. The results of this optimized doubly polarized double-zeta basis set compare well with results obtained using a double-zeta basis set augmented by four even-tempered ζ_d polarization functions. The results of the optimized basis set, and a basis set augmented with only a single ζ_d polarization function derived from it, compare very favorably with those obtained from Møller–Plesset perturbation theory and with experimental data. They show a marked improvement on results obtained using standard Hartree–Fock self-consistent-field molecular orbital methods where no treatment of electron-correlation is included.     

Ab initio calculations on sulfur-containing compounds. II. One-electron properties of H2S

Closed-shell RHF one-electron properties are calculated for H₂S using a total of 41 different s, p basis sets and two polarized basis sets (6–31G* and 6–31G**). Total energies and geometries alone are not a comprehensive criteria for selecting the best basis sets. It is shown here that the comparison of a number of one-electron properties can serve as an excellent criteria for testing basis sets. The quality or reliability of a basis set is taken as being its agreement with a large uncontracted s, p basis set (s, p limit).     

A basis set investigation for the oxygen 1s ionization potential in H2O

The basis set dependency of the core ionization potential of water was investigated for atomic optimized Cartesian Gaussian basis sets. Basis set parameters optimized for oxygen yielded better IP's than basis set parameters optimized for fluorine. Not much was gained by using different parameters for the ground state and for the 1s hole state.     

Theoretical studies of organometallic compounds. II. All electron and pseudopotential calculations of M(CH3)nCl4 − n (M = C,Si, Ge,Sn, Pb; n = 0–4)

The performance of effective core potentials (ECP) for the main group elements of group IV has been studied by calculating the geometries and reaction energies of isodesmic reactions for the molecules M(CH₃)_nCl_{4 ? n} (M = C, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb; n = 0–4) at the Hartree–Fock level of theory. The results are compared with data from all electron calculations and experimental results as far as available. The all electron calculations were performed with a 3-21G(d) and a 6-31G(d) basis set for Si, a (43321/4321/41) basis set for Ge, and a (433321/43321/431) basis set for Sn. For the ECP calculations the potentials developed by Hay and Wadt with a configuration (n)s^a(n)p^b and the valence basis set (21/21), extended by a set of d functions, are employed. © 1992 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Combined bond-polarization basis sets for accurate determination of dissociation energies. II. Basis set superposition error as a function of the parent basis set

The effect of the parent basis set on the basis set superposition error caused by bond functions is investigated systematically. An important difference between BSSE at the SCF and correlated levels is pointed out. Three new basis sets are defined, denoted 6-311 + G(d,p)B, 6-311 + G(2d,p)B, and 6-311 + G(2df,p)B. BSSE for the first-row hydrides seems to increase uniformly with increasing atomic number of the central atom. Expansion of the valence part of the basis set from 6-31G to 6-311G, as well as adding f functions, has a significant effect on the BSSE. Additional BSSEs incurred by bond functions are less than or equal to 1 kcal/mol for the 6-311 + G(2df,p)B basis set. For the dissociation energies of the first-row hydride species, agreement with experiment within only a few kcal/mol can be obtained even without resorting to isogyric reaction cycles. For high-quality calculations, adding bond functions seems to have definite advantages over expanding the polarization space beyond the [2d1f] level.     

Model studies of the optical rotation,and theoretical determination of its sign for β‐pinene and trans‐pinane

We have carried out extensive studies on the basis set dependence of the calculated specific optical rotation (OR) in molecules at the level of the time–dependent Hartree–Fock and density functional approximations. To reach the limits of the basis set saturation, we have devised an artificial model, the asymmetrically deformed (chiral) methane (CM) molecule. This small system permits to use basis sets which are prohibitively large for real chiral molecules and yet shows all the important features of the basis set dependence of the OR values. The convergence of the OR has been studied with n‐aug‐cc‐pVXZ basis sets of Dunning up to the 6–ζ. In a parallel series of calculations, we have used the recently developed large polarized (LPolX) basis sets. The relatively small LPolX sets have been shown to be competitive to very large n‐aug‐cc‐pVXZ basis sets. The conclusions reached in calculations of OR in CM concerning the usefulness of LPolX basis sets have been further tested on (S)‐methyloxirane and (S)‐fluoro‐oxirane. The smallest set of the LPolX family (LPol–ds) has been found to yield OR values of similar quality as those obtained with much larger Dunning's aug‐cc‐pVQZ basis set. These results have encouraged us to carry out the OR calculations with LPol–ds basis sets for systems as large as β‐pinene and trans‐pinane. In both cases, our calculations have lead to the correct sign of the OR value in these molecules. This makes the relatively small LPol–ds basis sets likely to be useful in OR calculations for large molecules. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2010     

Geometry,basis set,and correlation energy dependence of computed protonation energies of imino bases

The nitrogen protonation energies of the imino bases HN?CHR, where R is H, CH₃, NH₂, OH, and F, have been evaluated to determine the dependence of absolute and relative protonation energies on geometry, basis set, and correlation effects. Reliable absolute protonation energies require a basis set larger than a split-valence plus polarization basis, the inclusion of correlation, and optimized geometries of at least Hartree–Fock 4-31G quality. Consistent relative protonation energies can be obtained at the Hartree–Fock level with smaller basis sets. Extending the split-valence basis set by the addition of polarization functions on all atoms decreases the computed absolute Hartree–Fock nitrogen protonation energies of the imino bases HN?CHR except when R is F, but increases the oxygen protonation energies of the carbonyl bases O?CHR.     

Computational convergence of electronic structure calculations of transition metal ligand complexes

Calculations of binding energies and optimum geometries of compounds of the series M(H₂O)⁺ with M = Sc to Zn have been carried out and compared with gas-phase experimental data and with the Rosi and Bauschlicher MCPF calculations. Hartree–Fock calculations and correlated calculations at MP2, MP4, and QCISD(T) levels were used to test the dependence of the results upon the level of correlation. A test of basis set dependence was also carried out, using parallel calculations on four basis sets ranging in size from a small DZ set to a TZ contraction. Correlation levels above MP2 and elaboration of the metal d-function basis set to (4d/3d) size or greater were both necessary for convergence with the most uniformly reliable results obtained from QCISD(T) calculations on a basis set with a (6d/4d) contraction for the d-function space. However, MP2 or higher-level calculations with a contracted four or five d function set [(5d/3d) or (4d/3d)] are capable of yielding results on binding energies and geometries close to the current gas-phase experimental uncertainty on electrostatically bound transition metal complexes. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The methyl isocyanide isomerization: A CNDO/2 study with partitioning of energy

Ab initio LCAO MO SCF calculations have been carried out to predict core electron binding energies and shifts in fluoro- and chloro-methanes. The quality of the calculations ranges from a better than double zeta basis set to minimal STO (3 G) basis set. Predictions of binding energies and shifts are made using Koopmans' theorem, hole state calculations and equivalent cores calculations. Using a flexible basis set there is very little difference in the prediction of shifts by these three methods but for minimal basis set calculations the equivalent cores calculations give the best results.     

MRD-CI potential surfaces using balanced basis sets. VI. Correlation of bond order with bond function composition for first-row diatomic molecules

This article presents theoretical calculations on bond energies for the first-row diatomics C₂, CN, CO, CF, N₂, NO, NF, O₂, FO, and F₂, which vary in bond order from one to three. The atomic-centered basis functions are systematically augmented with bond functions (BFs), which range in composition from (sp) to 2(spd), to determine the basis set which yields a dissociation energy closest to the experimental D_e. A strong correlation is found to exist between the bond order and the number of BFs required in the optimum basis set. Based on these results, we are able to predict the optimum composition of the BF basis which should be added to a DZP-quality AO basis set for a case in which only the bond order is known. These optimized BF basis sets are shown in the accompanying article to give more accurate potential curves than larger basis sets without bond functions.     

MIDI! basis set for silicon, bromine, and iodine

The MIDI! basis set is extended to three new atoms: silicon, bromine, and iodine. The basis functions for these heteroatoms are developed from the standard 3-21G basis set by adding one Gaussian-type d subshell to each Si, Br, or I atom. The exponents of the d functions are optimized to minimize errors in the geometries and charge distributions that these basis functions yield when they are used in Hartree-Fock calculations with all atoms represented by the MIDI! basis. The MIDI! basis is defined to use five spherical d functions in a d subshell. We present a detailed comparison of such calculations to calculations employing six Cartesian d functions in each d subshell; these studies show that 5D and 6D options give very similar results for molecular geometries and dipole moments, not only for compounds containing Si, Br, and I but also for compounds containing N, O, F, P, S, and Cl. The MIDI! basis set is also tested successfully for hypervalent Si compounds. Received: 7 January 1998 / Accepted: 7 January 1998