The C2H 3 + cation and its interaction with HF

The structure and stability of classical and bridged C₂H ₃ ⁺ is reinvestigated. The SCF and CEPA-PNO computations performed with flexibles andp basis sets including twod-sets on carbon confirm our previous results. We find the protonated acetylene structure to be more stable than the vinyl cation by 3.5–4 kcal/mol. The energy barrier for the interconversion of these two structures is at most a few tenths of a kcal/mol. The equilibrium SCF geometries of Weberet al. [15] are affected insignificantly by further optimization at the CEPA-PNO level. Several structures for the interaction of C₂H ₃ ⁺ with HF have been investigated at the SCF level. With our largest basis set which includes a complete set of polarization functions we find a remarkable levelling of the stabilities of most of the structures. In these cases the stabilization energy ΔE ranges from −10 to −13 kcal/mol.     

An Ab initio study on the conformations of protonated,neutral, and deprotonated amidine

Ab initio SCF molecular orbital calculations have been performed to ascertain the conformational preferences of protonated, neutral, and deprotonated amidine [HC(?NH)NH₂], using the 3-21G split valence basis set. The states of eight stable species, eight transition states, and four higher-order saddle points have been determined by complete geometry optimization utilizing analytic energy gradient techniques. Protonation at the amidine ?NH is preferred over the –NH₂ site by 37.1 kcal/mol. Neutral amidine has rotational barriers of 9.6 and 11.7 kcal/mol for the HN?CN cis and trans isomers, respectively, while all the stable HC(NH₂)₂⁺ and HC(NH)₂^? species possess torsional barriers larger than 23 kcal/mol. There is, however, essentially free C—N single-bond rotation in HC(?NH)NH₃⁺, the calculated barriers being 0.7 and 1.8 kcal/mol for the cis and trans HN?CN isomers, respectively.     

Ab initio scf and ci study of the electronic structure of BH3CO

Results of ab initio SCF and CI calculations employing a Gaussian basis set of double-zeta quality are reported for BH₃CO. The heat of formation for the gas-phase reaction, BH₃ + CO → BH₃CO, is calculated as ?10.98 kcal mol^?1 within the SCF approximation, and as ?14.56 kcal mol^?1 if the CI treatment is included. This is in good agreement with the estimated experimental value of ?16.6 kcal mol^?1. The energy of rearrangement of the BH₃ fragment from D_3h to C_3v symmetry in BH₃CO is calculated as 15.97 kcal mol^?1. Molecular properties have been studied in terms of the calculated electron populations, the dipole moment and the electric Field gradient of ¹¹B in BH₃CO.     

Photodissociation dynamics of propynal (HCCCHO) and butynal (H3CCCCHO). Ab initio and RRKM calculations

The photodissociation dynamics of the lowest reaction channel on the electronic ground state potential surface of propynal (HCCCHO) and butynal (H₃CCCCHO), RCCCHO → RCCH+CO, with a dissociation rate constant k_diss(E), has been examined. Based on previous calculations, the geometry and the force constants of propynal's transition state were calculated at the CI(DZ+P) level and the energy profile along the reaction path determined. The barrier height of propynal is predicted to be 69.9 kcal/mol thus lying significantly below the S₁ zero-point level at 74.8 kcal/mol. With these data and the RRKM method, the unimolecular dissociation rate constant k_diss(E) was obtained. For butynal the same parameters were calculated using the less extensive SCF method. Furthermore, MC SCF CI calculations with a DZ+P basis set were used to examine the radical dissociation reaction HCCCHO →

on the T₁ potential surface. The barrier height is predicted to be 37.0 kcal/mol (without zero-point correction). These findings are discussed in the light of recent experimental results of propynal and butynal obtained in the bulk phase and in the supersonic free jet.     

Ab initio predictions of the molecular structures and harmonic vibrational frequencies of Ga2O2 isomers

The potential energy surface of Ga₂O₂ is examined at the SCF and MP2 levels employing basis set of triple- plus double polarization quality. Four stationary points located at the SCF level are characterized via their Hessian index. Electron correlation is important for the energy ordering and splitting of the isomers. For example, two minimum energy structures, a cyclicD _2h form and a linear Ga-O-Ga-O, separated by 25.69 kcal/mol at the SCF level have an energy difference of only 1.70 kcal/mol at the MP2 levels. Our computed harmonic vibrational frequency at 962 cm^–1 for the Ga-O-Ga-O minimum structure in in good agreement with the experimental predicted value of 967 cm^–1.     

A theoretical study of the structures and inversion barriers of CF3− and SiF3−

The structures and inversion barriers of CF₃^? and SiF₃^? have been calculated using ab initio SCF theory with several different basis sets and limited CI. The highest occupied molecular orbital of planar SiF₃^? is shown to have a₁′ symmetry, rather than the normally expected a₂″ symmetry. The best estimates of the inversion barriers are 119 kcal mol^?1 (CF₃^?) and 82 kcal mol ^?1 (SiF₃^?).     

Quasi-degenerate perturbation theory with general multiconfiguration self-consistent field reference functions

The quasi-degenerate perturbation theory (QDPT) with complete active space (CAS) self-consistent field (SCF) reference functions is extended to the general multiconfiguration (MC) SCF references functions case. A computational scheme that utilizes both diagrammatic and sum-over-states approaches is presented. The second-order effective Hamiltonian is computed for the external intermediate configurations (including virtual or/and core orbitals) by the diagrammatic approach and for internal intermediate configurations (including only active orbitals) by the configuration interaction matrix-based sum-over-states approach. The method is tested on the calculations of excitation energies of H(2)O, potential energy curves of LiF, and valence excitation energies of H(2)CO. The results show that the present method yields very close results to the corresponding CAS-SCF reference QDPT results and the available experimental values. The deviations from CAS-SCF reference QDPT values are less than 0.1 eV on the average for the excitation energies of H(2)O and less than 1 kcal/mol for the potential energy curves of LiF. In the calculation of the valence excited energies of H(2)CO, the maximum deviation from available experimental values is 0.28 eV.     

Energy-adjusted pseudopotentials for the rare earth elements

Nonrelativistic and quasirelativistic energy-adjusted pseudopotentials and optimized (7s6p5d)/[5s4p3d]-GTO valence basis sets for use in molecular calculations for fixed f-subconfigurations of the rare earth elements, La through Lu, have been generated. Atomic excitation and ionization energies from numerical HF, as well as SCF pseudopotential calculations using the derived basis sets, differ by less than 0.1 eV from numerical HF all-electron results. Corresponding values obtained from CI(SD), CEPA-1, as well as density functional calculations using the quasirelativistic pseudopotentials, are in reasonable agreement with experimental data.     

An ab initio CI investigation of structure and bonding in LiC2H2 complexes

The structures and energies of various LiC₂H₂ complexes have been investigated by means of ab initio molecular orbital calculations. Analytic SCF gradients were employed with a double-ζ basis set to locate and characterize stationary points on the energy surface. Single-point CI calculations using a double-ζ + diffuse and polarization basis set have been carried out at the DZ + P SCF stationary points. With the highest-level theory, the Li—vinylidene complex and the cis bridged adduct are found to be the most favorable arrangements, the former complex being slightly more stable by about 2 kcal mol⁻¹. These molecules are bound respectively by about 5 and 3 kcal mole⁻¹ relative to infinitely separated lithium plus acetylene. Harmonic vibrational frequencies are also reported and confirm the existence of the cis LiC₂H₂ species recently observed in a solid argon matrix.     

Calculated photoelectron spectra of singlet and triplet methylene

Vertical ionization potentials for singlet and triplet methylene are calculated by a CI perturbation method based on ab initio SCF molecular orbitals (6–31 G^** basis). The shape and vibrational fine structure of the first photoelectron band are investigated using the MINDO/3 method. The computed singlet-triplet splitting for methylene is 16.4 kcal/mol, in reasonable agreement with the experimental value of 19.5 kcal/mol.     

The X˜1A1, a˜3B1, a˜1B˜1, and B˜1A1 electronic states of SiH2

Four electronically low-lying states of silylene (SiH₂) have been studied systematically using high level ab initio electronic structure theory. Self-consistent field (SCF), two-configuration (TC) SCF, complete active space (CAS) SCF, configuration interaction with single and double excitations (CISD), and CASSCF second-order (SO) CI levels of theory were employed with eight distinct basis sets. The zeroth-order wave functions of the ground (X˜ ¹A₁ or 1 ¹A₁) and B˜ ¹A₁ (or 2 ¹A₁) excited states are appropriately described by the first and second eigenvectors of the TCSCF secular equations. The TCSCF-CISD, CASSCF, and CASSCF-SOCI wave functions for the B˜ ¹A₁ (or 2 ¹A₁) state were obtained by following the second root of the CISD, CASSCF, and SOCI Hamiltonian matrices. At the highest level of theory, the CASSCF-SOCI method with the triple zeta plus triple polarization augmented with two sets of higher angular momentum functions and two sets of diffuse functions basis set [TZ3P(2f,2d)+2diff], the energy separation (T₀) between the ground (X˜ ¹A₁) and first excited (a˜ ³B₁) states is determined to be 20.5 kcal/mol (0.890eV,7180cm⁻¹), which is in excellent agreement with the experimental T₀ value of 21.0 kcal/mol (0.910eV,7340cm⁻¹). With the same method the T₀ value for the a˜ ¹B₁−X˜ ¹A₁ separation is predicted to be 45.1 kcal/mol (1.957 eV,15780 cm⁻¹), which is also in fine agreement with the experimental value of 44.4 kcal/mol (1.925 eV,15530 cm⁻¹). The T₀ value for the B˜ ¹A₁−X˜ ¹A₁ separation is determined to be 79.6 kcal/mol (3.452 eV,27 840 cm⁻¹). After comparison of theoretical and experimental T₀ values for the a˜ ³B₁ and a˜ ¹B₁ states and previous studies, error bars for the B˜ ¹A₁ state are estimated to be ±1.5 kcal/mol (±525 cm⁻¹). The predicted geometry of the B˜ ¹A₁ state is r_e(SiH)=1.458 and θ_e=162.3^∘. The physical properties including harmonic vibrational frequencies of the B˜ ¹A₁ state are newly determined. Received: 10 March 1997 / Accepted: 2 April 1997     

Structure of Mn2(CO)10 and Mn2(CO)9: Insights from ab initio calculations

Optimization of the Mn–Mn distance in Mn₂(CO)₁₀ with various basis sets of at least doublezeta quality results in Mn–Mn bond lengths in the range of 3.07–3.15 Å, 0.2–0.25 Å longer than the experimental value of 2.895 Å. Incrementing the basis set with diffuse p functions (exponent 0.0332) on the carbon atoms improves the calculated bond length to a value of 2.876 Å at the CI level, as a consequence of a charge transfer between each Mn atom and the equatorial carbonyls of the other Mn atom. For Mn₂(CO)₉ four structures have been studied at the SCF and CI levels with assumed geometries. The structure with a symmetric bridging carbonyl turns to be much higher in energy at the SCF level. The two structures which are purely metal–metal bonded [corresponding to the departure of an axial or equatorial carbonyl from Mn₂(CO)₁₀] are nearly degenerate in energy and more stable than the structure with a semibridging carbonyl by 5 kcal/mol at the SCF level and 10–11 kcal/mol at the CI level (seemingly at variance with the conclusions of matrix experiments that favor the semibridging structure).     

Ab initio MRD–CI calculations on cubane (neutral,carbocation, carboanion) and dissociation of nitrocubanes based on localized orbitals

Ab initio MRD –CI calculations based on localized orbitals were carried out for cubane (neutral, carbocation, carboanion) both in our customary MODPOT basis set and in an all-electron 4–31G basis set. The calculated MRD –CI charge distributions on C1 (the skeletal atom from which the H^? or H⁺ was removed) (ab initio MODPOT neutral 4.221, carbocation 3.796, carboanion 4.282; all-electron 4–31G neutral 6.171, carbocation 5.717, carboanion 6.078) indicate that the + or - charge does not remain localized on C1 but redistributes itself. This has significant implications for preparative reactions of energetically substituted cubanes. The MRD –CI population analyses differ somewhat from the SCF population analyses, especially in the calculated total overlap populations. To investigate this effect on electrostatic molecular potential contour (EMPC ) maps generated from SCF or MRD –CI wave functions, we wrote additional routines to calculate EMPC maps from MRD –CI wave functions. The EMPC maps generated from SCF or MRD –CI wave functions are different if the molecule needs an MRD –CI multideterminant wave function to describe it adequately. The EMPC map is a one-electron property. One-electron properties are derived from the 1-matrix. The 1-matrix is different for SCF or MRD –CI wave functions. Thus, all the one-electron properties (EMPC maps, population analyses, bond deviation indices, etc.) are different when calculated from SCF or MRD –CI wave functions if MRD –CI wave functions are necessary to describe a system properly. We calculate these one-electron properties from the 1-matrix from the final natural orbitals. Our preliminary calculations for the dissociation pathway indicate it takes more energy to dissociate a bond in 1-nitrocubane than in octanitrocubane. Even in their ground electronic states at equilibrium geometry, both 1-nitrocubane and octanitrocubane require MRD –CI wave functions to describe them properly. The c² of the single determinant SCF wave function is only 0.8401 for 1-nitrocubane and 0.8300 for octanitrocubane. There are contributions from skeletal excitations as there are for cubane itself as well as excitations involving the nitrogroup. As the bond in nitrocubane is dissociated to 8.00 bohrs, the c² of the SCF contribution drops to only 0.4606 (1-nitrocubane) and 0.4445 (octanitrocubane). At this C₁? N₁ intermolecular distance, the largest excitations are in the C₁? N₁ bond: (C₁? N₁)² → (C₁? N₁*)², (C₁? N₁) → (C₁? N₁*). We also calculated the first electronically excited state for the dissociation pathway for selected points for both 1-nitrocubane and octanitrocubane.     

Energy-adjustedab initio pseudopotentials for the second and third row transition elements

Summary Nonrelativistic and quasirelativisticab initio pseudopotentials substituting the M^(Z–28)+-core orbitals of the second row transition elements and the M^(Z–60)+-core orbitals of the third row transition elements, respectively, and optimized (8s7p6d)/[6s5p3d]-GTO valence basis sets for use in molecular calculations have been generated. Additionally, corresponding spin-orbit operators have also been derived. Atomic excitation and ionization energies from numerical HF as well as from SCF pseudopotential calculations using the derived basis sets differ in most cases by less than 0.1 eV from corresponding numerical all-electron results. Spin-orbit splittings for lowlying states are in reasonable agreement with corresponding all-electron Dirac-Fock (DF) results.     

Ab initio scf and Ci study of the electronic structure of the trichlorine radical

Ab initio SCF and CI calculations using a double-zeta plus polarization basis set have been carried out on the trichlorine radical Cl₃ to determine its electronic structure. The minimum in energy is determined for a bent structure at a bond angle of 146° and bond lengths of 2.18 Å (SCF ) or 2.22 Å (CI ). At linear geometry a ²Π_u state is found to be lowest, approximately 7 kcal above the bent minimum, followed by a ²∑_g⁺ state, which is around 4 kcal higher. This situation suggests that already for low quantum numbers a complex vibrational pattern in the Cl₃ infrared spectrum is to be expected due to spin-orbit coupling as well as coupling of electronic, vibrational, and rotational motion.     

A Theoretical Study of Complex Formation between Formaldehyde and Lithium

Ab initio SCF and CI calculations on the cationic and neutral complexes of formaldehyde and lithium are reported. For the cationic complex CH₂O/Li⁺, the stabilization energy of 41.7 kcal/mol obtained from the SCF calculation increases to 51.6 kcal/mol if a configuration interaction is introduced. For the neutral complex CH₂O^?/Li⁺, the C_2v-conformer of the ²A₁-state with the equilibrium bond distances of d(C? O) = 1.23 Å and d (O? Li) = 1.90 Å is calculated to be more stable than the ₂B₁-state with d (C? O) = 1.34 Å, and d (O? Li) = 1.65 Å. Charge transfer and polarization effects upon complex formation are discussed.     

Computation of the complexation energies of BH3NH3 and BH3PH3

Extended basis set computations on SCF and CEPA level were performed for BH₃NH₃ and BH₃PH₃ to determine the complexation energy ΔE and the equilibrium distance r(BX) between the “heavy” atoms. Our CEPA results (SCF in parentheses): ΔE(BH₃NH) = ?27(?21.3) kcal/mol, ΔE(BH₃PH₃) = ?17(?11.8) kcal/mol, r(BN) = 1.65(1.68) Å, r(BP) = 1.95(1.99) Å indicate a marked influence of electron correlation on these properties.     

Ab initio SCF and MRD CI studies of the FHCl− ion

The equilibrium geometry and hydrogen-bonding energy of the heterobihalide ion FHCl^? have been calculated by ab initio SCF and MRD CI methods using an AO basis set of near Hartree-Fock quality. In the most stable (linear) conformation of this ion, the equilibrium F Cl/FH distances are predicted to be 5.657/1.754, 5.453/L800 and 5.437/1.801 bohr by SCF, MRD CI and full CI (estimated) calculations respectively. A second minimum, which is of extremely small depth and corresponds to the hydrogen atom near the chlorine atom, begins to appear in the potential surface at an FCl distance of about 6.0 bohr. The hydrogen-bonding energy of FHCl^? lies in the range 18–22 kcal/mol.     

Performance of the VBSCF method for pericyclic and π bond shift reactions

The performance of the valence bond self-consistent field (VBSCF) method was investigated in this paper by predicting the activation barriers and reaction energies in pericyclic and π bond shift reactions for hydrocarbons. The benchmarking set includes 3 electrocyclic reactions, 3 sigmatropic shifts, 3 cycloadditions, 2 cycloreversions, and 7 π bond shift reactions, where the first 11 reactions are taken from Houk's standard set (J. Phys. Chem. A 2003, 107, 11445). Computational results reveal that the VB(CI) method, which performs VBSCF calculations first with full covalent structures and then includes all mono- and di-ionic structures to compute the total energy without further orbital optimization, matches the accuracy of the complete active space SCF (CASSCF) method very well. The mean absolute error values (the deviations from the CASSCF data) are 0.01 kcal/mol for the reaction energy, and 0.26 and 0.32 kcal/mol for the activation energy with the 6-31G and 6-31G(d) basis sets, respectively. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.