Suitability of the PM3-derived molecular electrostatic potentials

A systematic study of the suitability of PM3-derived molecular electrostatic potentials (MEPs) is presented. Forty-six MEP minima, 81 electrostatic charges, and 17 electrostatic dipoles were determined at the PM3 level and compared with those obtained from the ab initio 6-31G* wave function, as well as from the semiempirical MNDO and AM1 wave functions. The statistical results of the comparison analysis between semiempirical and ab initio 6-31G* MEPs show that PM3 is in general reliable for the study of the MEP minima but a mediocre method as a source of electrostatic charges. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Comparison of NDDO and quasi-ab initio approaches to compute semiempirical molecular electrostatic potentials

The suitability of the two most widely used strategies to compute semiempirical MEPs is examined. For this purpose, MEP minima, electrostatic charges, and dipoles for a large number of molecules were computed at the AM1, MNDO, and PM3 levels using both the NDDO strategy developed by Ferenczy, Reynolds, and Richards and our own quasi-ab initio method. Results demonstrate that the quasi-ab initio is preferred over the NDDO method for the computation of MEP minima. It is also found that the best set of semiempirical charges and dipoles are obtained using either the AM1 NDDO or the MNDO quasi-ab initio methods. In these two cases, the quality of the results is fully comparable with 6-31G* values. © 1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Base stacking in cytosine dimer. A comparison of correlated ab initio calculations with three empirical potential models and density functional theory calculations

Ab initio MP2/6-31G* interaction energies were calculated for more than 80 geometries of stacked cytosine dimer. Diffuse polarization functions were used to properly cover the dispersion energy. The results of ab initio calculations were compared with those obtained from three electrostatic empirical potential models, constructed as the sum of a Lennard-Jones potential (covering dispersion and repulsion contributions) and the electrostatic term. Point charges and point multipoles of the electrostatic term were also obtained at the MP2/6-31G* level of theory. The point charge MEP model (atomic charges derived from molecular electrostatic potential) satisfactorily reproduced the ab initio data. Addition of π-charges localized below and above the cytosine plane did not affect the calculated energies. The model employing the distributed multipole analysis gave worse agreement with the ab initio data than the MEP approach. The MP2 MEP charges were also derived using larger sets of atomic orbitals: cc-pVDZ, 6-311 + G(2d, p), and aug-cc-pVDZ. Differences between interaction energies calculated using these three sets of point charges and the MP2/6-31G* charges were smaller than 0.8 kcal/mol. The correlated ab initio calculations were also compared with the density functional theory (DFT) method. DFT calculations well reproduced the electrostatic part of interaction energy. They also covered some nonelectrostatic short-range effects which were not reproduced by the empirical potentials. The DFT method does not include the dispersion energy. This energy, approximated by an empirical term, was therefore added to the DFT interaction energy. The resulting interaction energy exhibited an artifact secondary minimum for a 3.9-4.0 vertical separation of bases. This defect is inherent in the DFT functionals, because it is not observed for the Hartree-Fock + dispersion interaction energy.© 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Can semi-empirical models describe HCl dissociation in water?

We discuss the failure of commonly used AM1 and PM3 semiempirical methods to correctly describe acid dissociation. We focus our analysis on HCl because of its physicochemical importance and its relevance in atmospheric chemistry. The structure of non-dissociated and dissociated HCl – (H₂O) _n clusters is accounted for. The very bad results obtained with PM3 (and also with AM1) are related to large errors in gas-phase proton affinity of water and gas-phase acidity of HCl. Indeed, estimation of pKa values shows that neither AM1 nor PM3 are able to predict HCl dissociation in liquid water since HCl is found to be a weaker acid than H₃O⁺. We have proposed in previous works a modified PM3 approach (PM3-MAIS) adapted to intermolecular calculations. It is derived from PM3 by reparameterization of the core–core functions using ab initio data. Since parameters for H–Cl and O–Cl core–core interactions were not yet available, we have carried out the corresponding optimization. Application of the PM3-MAIS method to HCl dissociation in HCl–(H₂O) _n clusters leads to a huge improvement over PM3 results. Though the method predicts a slightly overestimated HCl acidity in water environment, the overall agreement with ab initio calculations is very satisfying and justifies efforts to develop new semiempirical methods.     

A new scaling procedure to correct semiempirical MEP and MEP-derived properties

Summary The MNDO, AM1, PM3, and ab initio 6–31G^* and 6–31+G^* MEPs for 21 neutral and 12 charged molecules were computed in layers ranging from 1.2 to 2.0 times the van der Waals radii of atoms. Semiempirical and ab initio MEPs for each layer and two groups of layers were compared to gain insight into the relationships between semiempirical and ab initio MEPs. A detailed statistical study allowed us to obtain a new set of scaling coefficients able to correct the semiempirical MEPs to provide better representations of the ab initio values. The corrected semiempirical MEPs were used to obtain electrostatic charges, whose quality was tested by the comparison between semiempirical Coulombic MEPs and ab initio quantum mechanical MEPs.     

含S-P-N键的磷烯正离子及其相关物的结构和性质的从头计算

本文对5-甲硫基-3-N-苯基-2,3-2(H)-1,3,4,2-噻二唑磷茂啉的磷烯正离子等三个相关分子的平衡几何构型进行了从头算解析能量梯度方法的全优化计算. 优化结果表明, 二配位磷烯正离子与相应的三配位磷母体分子的结构有本质的差异.形成二配位磷烯正离子后,磷所在的五员环形成共轭体系而使原来的单键键长变短, 原来的双键键长变长, 且使原来不共面的五员环共面. 在优化的平衡几何处进行单点CI计算的结果表明, 基态分子中磷原子上的正电荷的相对多少次序与实验测得的摩尔电导率及^3^1P NMR谱的化学位移的相对大小次序完全一致.     

共轭烯烃的分子几何构型、电子结构和生成热的DMM和AM1、PM3的比较研究

运用Ｄｅｌｆｔ分子力学（ＤＭＭ）力场和程序以及半经验分子轨道ＡＭ１和ＰＭ３方法计算研究了丁二烯、苯、甲苯、联苯、苯乙烯、富烯、、环辛四烯、［２，２］对环烷和菲等１０个共轭烯烃分子的几何构型、电子结构和生成热．ＤＭＭ计算的几何构型和生成热与实验结果相吻合，电荷分布结果与从头计算结果较接近．ＡＭ１和ＰＭ３计算的几何构型较好，但计算的生成热与实验结果偏差较大．ＰＭ３计算值比ＡＭ１的稍好．     

Comparison of AM1 and PM3 semiempirical to ab initio methods in the study of Diels-Alder reactions of butadiene and cyclopentadiene with cyanoethylenes

Assuming a concerted synchronous mechanism with one transition state of the Diels-Alder reactions, the structures of the transition states and the activation energies for the reactions of butadiene and cyclopentadiene with cyanoethylenes were calculated by AM1 and PM3 semiempirical methods. The structural parameters were compared with those obtained by high level Gaussian calculations, whereas the activation energies were compared both with the ab initio calculations and those obtained experimentally. The structural properties calculated with PM3 methods are in general in better agreement with the ab initio calculations. The low level ab initio calculations are in many cases worse than the semiempirical methods. All predicted activation energies with both semiempirical methods are up to 300% higher than the experimental values. The predicted reactivity is also opposite to the experimental data. Only the very high level Gaussian calculations are in good correlation with experimental results. The predicted selectivity of the reaction is also opposite to the experimental facts. Two explanations are offered for this discrepancy: AM1 and PM3 methods cannot handle the calculation of the concerted Diels-Alder transition states and are not recommended to be used for that purpose, or this Diels-Alder reaction is not concerted but is stepwise.     

The geometry and electronic structure of the ionic defect in a chain of water molecules between a donor and an acceptor

Quantum chemical calculations of the molecular complexes (NH₃)₃Zn²⁺...(H₂O)_n3...NH₃ (C_n, n=11, 16, 21, and 30) that model the proton donor-aqueous chain-acceptor channel in biological molecules were performed. Periodicity of O-H bond lengths in water chains and charges of the H atoms of H-bonds observed earlier were discussed. In C_n complexes, the geometry and electronic structure of the ionic defect in the aqueous chain with an excess proton were studied. The distributions of O-H bond lengths and charges on H-bond H atoms in the region of the ionic defect obtained in ab initio (B3LYP/6-31+G^**) and semiempirical (PM3) calculations are compared. The influence of aqueous chain extension, the position of the protonated water molecule, and the mobility of water molecules in the chain on the structure of the ionic defect was analyzed.     

Molecular mechanics (MM3) calculations on lithium amide compounds

The MM3 force field has been extended to deal with the lithium amide molecules that are widely used as efficient catalysts for stereoselective asymmetric synthesis. The MM3 force field parameters have been determined on the basis of the ab initio MP2/6-31G* and/or DFT (B3LYP/6-31G*, B3-PW91/6-31G*) geometry optimization calculations. To evaluate the electronic interactions specific to the lithium amides derived from the diamine molecules properly, the Lewis bonding potential term for the interaction between the lithium atom and the nonbonded adjacent electronegative atom such as nitrogen was introduced into the MM3 force field. The bond dipoles were evaluated correctly from the electronic charges on the atoms calculated by fitting to the electrostatic potential at points selected. The MM3 results on the molecular structures, conformational energies, and vibrational spectra show good agreement with those from the quantum mechanical calculations.     

Conformational behavior of some hydroxamic acids

The conformational preferences of a few hydroxamic acids are investigated by the density functional B3LYP/6-311++G**//B3LYP16-31G* and semiempirical AM1 and PM3 methods in this work. It is found that both semiempirical methods give satisfactory results in comparison with sophisticated DFT and ab initio calculations, except for the activation barriers, which are overestimated. Of the two semiempirical methods, while the PM3 method gives better results for relative stabilities, AM1 geometries are in slightly better agreement with the experiments. The keto forms are found to be most stable and the reaction pathways for the interconversion between the keto and enol forms have been deduced. The effect of solvation on the reaction has also been investigated, as has the effect of methyl substitution at the carbon and nitrogen atoms. All the investigated acids exhibit N-acid behavior.     

Ab initio calculations, electronegativity equalisation and group electronegativity

A correspondence betweenab initio calculations, the principle of electronegativity equalisation and group electronegativity has been established within the framework of Mulliken population analysis. Using this we have calculated electronegativities of some 37 groups/atoms. These electronegativities show excellent linear correlation with¹ J _CC coupling constants in monosubstituted benzenes and Inamoto’si scale and a satisfactory one with Wells’ group electronegativity data. The correspondence however required a scaling of charge (obtained byab initio calculations) and a proportionality between the electronegativity of the neutral group and its hardness. It is shown that using these electronegativity values it is possible to calculate group charges in molecules where groups under consideration interact with each other through σ bond only.     

The electronic structure of tetrahedral III–V compounds: The ground state of boron nitride

The bond-orbital theory of III–V compounds, previously described by Coulson, Redei and Stocker, is used to calculate the effective atomic charges and the binding energy per bond in boron nitride. The theory is reformulated in a manner which is convenient for performing both ab initio and semiempirical calculations. Two different choices for the atomic-orbital exponents are considered and, in both cases, the results obtained from the ab initio method are at variance with the earlier calculations in predicting an electronic charge displacement from nitrogen to boron. The magnitude of the effective charges is found to vary according to the method of partitioning the overlap charge between the nitrogen and boron atoms. The use of orthogonalized Slater 2s functions is also examined. The semiempirical calculations are performed with an explicit inclusion of the Madelung energy from the outset. The ionicity in the bond is shown to be determined by the competition between the difference in orbital electronegativities and the difference in Madelung potential across the ends of the bond. Unfortunately, the semiempirical theory breaks down because the energy per bond passes through a maximum at the optimum value of the polarity parameter. The reasons for this behaviour are examined and discussed.     

Performance of semiempirical methods in fullerene chemistry: relative energies and nucleus-independent chemical shifts

Semiempirical MNDO, AM1, and PM3 calculations are reported for 153 fullerene isomers in an attempt to assess the reliability of these methods through comparisons with ab initio and density functional results. B3LYP/6-31G^* relative energies are generally reproduced quite well by these calculations. Qualitative trends in ab initio nucleus-independent chemical shifts at the cage centers are captured by the semiempirical GIAO-MNDO approach while underestimating their absolute values. The agreement between the semiempirical results and the ab initio or density functional reference data is generally better for the larger fullerenes (C₆₀–C₁₀₂) than for the smaller ones (C₂₀–C₅₀). These systematic comparisons clarify the accuracy that may be expected from semiempirical computations in fullerene chemistry.     

应用从头计算和ABEEM方法研究一种特殊的亚胺加成物

利用从头计算方法计算了鸟苷与联苯酰基胺离子反应生成C8加成物的NMR化学位移, 结果与实验所测到的NMR化学位移符合得很好, 并且根据原子-键电负性均衡方法中的σπ模型(ABEEM σπ)计算所得到的电荷与NMR化学位移也有很好的对应关系; 但采用相同的方法计算腺苷与联苯酰基胺离子反应生成的亚胺加成物时, 得到的NMR化学位移与实验值在个别关键的碳原子处有很大差别. 根据研究得到的结果推测, 实验上得到的构型不仅仅是亚胺加成物, 而可能是一种含有亚胺和氮杂形式加成物的混合物.     

Model calculation of the spin density for trapped muonium in ionic solids

A previously developed perturbation formula for calculating the spin density of trapped normal muonium in diamond is applied to the trapped muonium in the ionic solids of MgO, KCl and KBr. To obtain an improved molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) inside the cubic lattice, we performed MO calculations using clusters of MgO, KCl and KBr with additional surrounding point charges. Calculated spin densities (ƒ-values) in these potentials are compared with experimental results. We also report ab initio UHF MO calculations for these clusters with a trapped hydrogen atom at the centre of the clusters.     

Improved intermolecular force field for molecules containing H,C, N,and O atoms,with application to nucleoside and peptide crystals

A new intermolecular force field for nitrogen atoms in organic molecules was derived from a training dataset of 76 observed azahydrocarbon crystal structures and 11 observed heats of sublimation. The previously published W99 force field for hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen was thus extended to include nitrogen atoms. Nitrogen atoms were divided into four classes: N(1) for triply bonded nitrogen, N(2) for nitrogen with no bonded hydrogen (except the triple bonded case), N(3) for nitrogen with one bonded hydrogen, and N(4) for nitrogen with two or more bonded hydrogens. H(4) designated hydrogen bonded to nitrogen. Wavefunctions of 6‐31g** quality were calculated for each molecule and the molecular electric potential (MEP) was modeled with net atomic and supplementary site charges. Lone pair electron charge sites were included for nitrogen atoms where appropriate, and methylene bisector charges were used for CH₂ and CH₃ groups when fitting the MEP. X? H bond distances were set to standard values for the wave function calculation and then foreshortened by 0.1 Å for the MEP and force field fitting. Using the force field optimized to the training dataset, each azahydrocarbon crystal structure was relaxed by intermolecular energy minimization. Predicted maximum changes in unit cell edge lengths for each crystal were 3% or less. The complete force field for H, C, N, and O atoms was tested by intermolecular energy relaxation of nucleoside and peptide molecular crystals. Even though these molecules were not included in any of the training datasets for the force field, agreement with their observed crystal structures was very good, with predicted unit cell edge shifts usually less than 2%. These tests included crystal structures of representatives of all eight common nucleosides found in DNA and RNA, 15 dipeptides, four tripeptides, two tetrapeptides, and a pentapeptide with two molecules in the asymmetric unit. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 22: 1154–1166, 2001     

Fast assignment of accurate partial atomic charges: an electronegativity equalization method that accounts for alternate resonance forms

A fast, accurate method of assigning partial atomic charges is described. The method is based upon the concept of electronegativity equalization and is parametrized to fit electrostatic potentials obtained from ab initio quantum calculations. A novel algorithm for identifying alternate resonance forms is used to ensure that chemically equivalent atoms are assigned equal charges. The resulting charges are independent of conformation, yield good agreement with ab initio electrostatic potentials, and are similar to standard force field charges for common biochemical components. The method is broadly parametrized and generates charges for a drug-like compound in about 0.45 s on a 2.26 GHz Pentium 4 PC. It should thus be useful in a range of applications, such as molecular design and QSAR. The resonance algorithm is expected to have additional applications, such as in atom-typing and detection of molecular symmetry.     

Synthesis and vibrational study of platinum(II) and palladium(II) complexes of glyoxilic acid oxime

New platinum(II) and palladium(II) complexes of glyoxilic acid oxime (gao) have been prepared and characterised by infrared (4000–150 cm⁻¹) and Raman (4000–200 cm⁻¹) spectra. The gao acts as bidentate ligand bonding through the oxime nitrogen and carboxyl oxygen atoms to form neutral bis-chelate square-planar complexes. The lowest energy conformer of the gao ligand (ectt) was selected among 16 theoretically possible conformers on the basis of ab initio calculations at HF/3-21G*, HF/6-31G* and HF/6-311** levels of the theory from which structural parameters and conformational stabilities have been obtained. A complete vibrational assignment of the gao was performed for the lowest energy ectt conformer on the basis of ab initio optimised parameters and normal coordinate analysis calculations (PED). NCA calculations of the complexes studied were also performed.