A new parallel algorithm of MP2 energy calculations

A new parallel algorithm has been developed for second‐order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) energy calculations. Its main projected applications are for large molecules, for instance, for the calculation of dispersion interaction. Tests on a moderate number of processors (2–16) show that the program has high CPU and parallel efficiency. Timings are presented for two relatively large molecules, taxol (C₄₇H₅₁NO₁₄) and luciferin (C₁₁H₈N₂O₃S₂), the former with the 6‐31G* and 6‐311G** basis sets (1032 and 1484 basis functions, 164 correlated orbitals), and the latter with the aug‐cc‐pVDZ and aug‐cc‐pVTZ basis sets (530 and 1198 basis functions, 46 correlated orbitals). An MP2 energy calculation on C₁₃₀H₁₀ (1970 basis functions, 265 correlated orbitals) completed in less than 2 h on 128 processors. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 27: 407–413, 2006     

A Theoretical Study of the Kinetics of the Hydrogen Atom Abstraction Reactions from Cyclopropane by H,O (3P), and Cl (2P3/2) Atoms and OH Radicals

The rate constants of the H‐abstraction reactions from cyclopropane by H, O (³P), Cl (²P_3/2), and OH radicals have been calculated over the temperature range of 250?2500 K using two different levels of theory. Calculations of optimized geometrical parameters and vibrational frequencies are performed using the MP2 method combined with the cc‐pVTZ basis set and the 6–311++G(d,p) basis set. Single‐point energy calculations have been carried out with the highly correlated ab initio coupled cluster method in the space of single, double, and triple (perturbatively) electron excitations CCSD(T) using either the cc‐pVTZ, aug‐cc‐pVTZ, and aug‐cc‐pVQZ basis sets or the 6–311++G(3df,3pd) basis set. The CCSD(T) calculated potential energies have been extrapolated to the complete basis limit (CBS) limit. The Full Configuration Interaction (FCI) energies have been also estimated using the continued‐fraction approximation as proposed by Goodson (J. Chem. Phys., 2002, 116, 6948–6956). Canonical transition‐state theory combined with an Eckart tunneling correction has been used to predict the rate constants as a function of temperature using two kinetic models (direct abstraction or complex mechanism) at two levels of theory (CCSD(T)‐cf/CBS//MP2/cc‐pVTZ and CCSD(T)‐cf/6–311++G(3df,3pd)//MP2/6–311++G(d,p)). The calculated kinetic parameters are in reasonable agreement with their literature counterparts for all reactions. In the light of these trends, the use of the Pople‐style basis sets for studying the reactivity of other systems such as larger cycloalkanes or halogenated cycloalkanes is recommended because the 6–311++G(3df,3pd) basis set is less time consuming than the aug‐cc‐pVQZ basis set. Based on our calculations performed at the CCSD(T)‐cf/CBS//MP2/cc‐pVTZ level of theory, the standard enthalpy of formation at 298 K for the cyclopropyl radical has been reassessed and its value is (290.5 ± 1.6) kJ mol^?1.     

MPI/OpenMP hybrid parallel algorithm for resolution of identity second‐order Møller–Plesset perturbation calculation of analytical energy gradient for massively parallel multicore supercomputers

A massively parallel algorithm of the analytical energy gradient calculations based the resolution of identity Møller–Plesset perturbation (RI‐MP2) method from the restricted Hartree–Fock reference is presented for geometry optimization calculations and one‐electron property calculations of large molecules. This algorithm is designed for massively parallel computation on multicore supercomputers applying the Message Passing Interface (MPI) and Open Multi‐Processing (OpenMP) hybrid parallel programming model. In this algorithm, the two‐dimensional hierarchical MP2 parallelization scheme is applied using a huge number of MPI processes (more than 1000 MPI processes) for acceleration of the computationally demanding O (N ⁵) step such as calculations of occupied–occupied and virtual–virtual blocks of MP2 one‐particle density matrix and MP2 two‐particle density matrices. The new parallel algorithm performance is assessed using test calculations of several large molecules such as buckycatcher C₆₀@C₆₀H₂₈ (144 atoms, 1820 atomic orbitals (AOs) for def2‐SVP basis set, and 3888 AOs for def2‐TZVP), nanographene dimer (C₉₆H₂₄)₂ (240 atoms, 2928 AOs for def2‐SVP, and 6432 AOs for cc‐pVTZ), and trp‐cage protein 1L2Y (304 atoms and 2906 AOs for def2‐SVP) using up to 32,768 nodes and 262,144 central processing unit (CPU) cores of the K computer. The results of geometry optimization calculations of trp‐cage protein 1L2Y at the RI‐MP2/def2‐SVP level using the 3072 nodes and 24,576 cores of the K computer are presented and discussed to assess the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Highly accurate benchmark calculations of the interaction energies in the complexes C6H6···C6X6 (X = F,Cl, Br,and I)

Different from the case of the benzene dimer, the differences between the interaction energies are always less than 0.50 kcal/mol for face‐to‐face eclipsed, face‐to‐face staggered, and parallel‐displaced configurations of all investigated complexes C₆H₆···C₆X₆ (X = F, Cl, Br, and I). Hence, it is a great challenge for quantum chemists to accurately calculate the interaction energies for the three configurations of the complexes C₆H₆···C₆X₆. This work demonstrates that results obtained with the PBE0 density functional combined with the D3 dispersion correction (PBE0‐D3) and the basis set def2‐TZVPP are in excellent agreement with the estimates of the coupled‐cluster singles, doubles, and perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] complete basis set (CBS) limit. The other finding in this study is that, in comparison with the gold‐standard CCSD(T)/CBS benchmark, the spin‐component scaled (SCS) zeroth‐order symmetry‐adapted perturbation theory (SAPT0), when paired with the basis set aug‐cc‐pVDZ, performs also very well, and its performance is even better than that of the PBE0‐D3/def2‐TZVPP method or the conventional SAPT/aug‐cc‐pVQZ method. The findings of this study are very significant because both PBE0‐D3/def2‐TZVPP and SCS‐SAPT0/aug‐cc‐pVDZ can deal with the systems with more than 200 atoms.     

Characterization of the potential energy surfaces of two small but challenging noncovalent dimers: (P2)2 and (PCCP)2

This work characterizes eight stationary points of the P₂ dimer and six stationary points of the PCCP dimer, including a newly identified minimum on both potential energy surfaces. Full geometry optimizations and corresponding harmonic vibrational frequencies were computed with the second‐order Møller–Plesset (MP2) electronic structure method and six different basis sets: aug‐cc‐pVXZ, aug‐cc‐pV(X+d)Z, and aug‐cc‐pCVXZ where X = T, Q. A new L‐shaped structure with C₂ symmetry is the only minimum for the P₂ dimer at the MP2 level of theory with these basis sets. The previously reported parallel‐slipped structure with C_2h symmetry and a newly identified cross configuration with D₂ symmetry are the only minima for the PCCP dimer. Single point energies were also computed using the canonical MP2 and CCSD(T) methods as well as the explicitly correlated MP2‐F12 and CCSD(T)‐F12 methods and the aug‐cc‐pVXZ (X = D, T, Q, 5) basis sets. The energetics obtained with the explicitly correlated methods were very similar to the canonical results for the larger basis sets. Extrapolations were performed to estimate the complete basis set (CBS) limit MP2 and CCSD(T) binding energies. MP2 and MP2‐F12 significantly overbind the P₂ and PCCP dimers relative to the CCSD(T) and CCSD(T)‐F12 binding energies by as much as 1.5 kcal mol^?1 for the former and 5.0 kcal mol^?1 for the latter at the CBS limit. The dominant attractive component of the interaction energy for each dimer configuration was dispersion according to several symmetry‐adapted perturbation theory analyses. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Characterization of the N?H···ON and N?H···NO H‐bonds in nitrosamine dimers

Ab initio molecular orbital and DFT calculations have been carried out for three most stable dimers of parent nitrosamine (NA) in order to elucidate the structures and energetics of the dimers. The structures were optimized using HF, B3LYP, and MP2 methods with 6‐311+G(d,p) and 6‐311++G(2d,2p) basis sets. At the optimized geometries obtained at MP2/6‐311++G(2d,2p) level of theory, the energies were evaluated at QCISD/aug‐cc‐pVDZ and CCSD/aug‐cc‐pVDZ levels. The most stable dimer has two N? H···O?N hydrogen bonds and the least stable dimer has two N? H···N?O hydrogen bonds. The natural bond orbital analysis showed that the lpO(N) → BD*(N? N) and lpO(N) → BD*(N? H_b) interactions play a decisive role in the stabilization of the NH···O(N) hydrogen bonds in dimers. The atoms in molecules results reveal that the intermolecular N? H···O(N) H‐bonds in dimers have electrostatic character. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008     

Rate coefficients of the CF3CHFCF3 + H → CF3CFCF3 + H2 reaction at different temperatures calculated by transition state theory with ab initio and DFT reaction paths

The minimum energy path (MEP) of the reaction, CF₃CHFCF₃ + H → transition state (TS) → CF₃CFCF₃ + H₂, has been computed at different ab initio levels and with density functional theory (DFT) using different functionals. The computed B3LYP/6‐31++G**, BH&HLYP/cc‐pVDZ, BMK/6‐31++G**, M05/6‐31+G**, M05‐2X/6‐31+G**, UMP2/6‐31++G**, PUMP2/6‐31++G**//UMP2/6‐31++G**, RCCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVDZ//UMP2/6‐31++G**, RCCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVTZ(spd,sp)//UMP2//6‐31++G**, RCCSD(T)/CBS//M05/6‐31+G**, and RCCSD(T)/CBS//UMP2/6‐31++G** MEPs, and associated gradients and Hessians, were used in reaction rate coefficient calculations based on the transition state theory (TST). Reaction rate coefficients were computed between 300 and 1500 K at various levels of TST, which include conventional TST, canonical variational TST (CVT) and improved CVT (ICVT), and with different tunneling corrections, namely, Wigner, zero‐curvature, and small‐curvature (SCT). The computed rate coefficients obtained at different ab initio, DFT and TST levels are compared with experimental values available in the 1000–1200 K temperature range. Based on the rate coefficients computed at the ICVT/SCT level, the highest TST level used in this study, the BH&HLYP functional performs best among all the functionals used, while the RCCSD(T)/CBS//MP2/6‐31++G** level is the best among all the ab initio levels used. Comparing computed reaction rate coefficients obtained at different levels of theory shows that, the computed barrier height has the strongest effect on the computed reaction rate coefficients as expected. Variational effects on the computed rate coefficients are found to be negligibly small. Although tunneling effects are relatively small at high temperatures (～1500 K), SCT corrections are significant at low temperatures (～300 K), and both barrier heights and the magnitudes of the imaginary frequencies affect SCT corrections. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Blue‐shifted H‐bond in aromatic sulfines: An ab initio calculation

The intramolecular C? H···O?S H‐bond in the aromatic sulfines, HRC?S?O, was analyzed by NBO and QTAIM methods. The results of QTAIM analysis at the MP2/aug‐cc‐pVDZ level of theory show that the C? H···O?S H‐bond meets all the characteristics of an improper, blue shift hydrogen bond. NBO analysis at the MP2/6–31++G(d,p)//MP2/aug‐cc‐pVDZ level predicts a normal relationship between change of bond length and C? H rehybridization. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

DFT study on the hydrogen bonds of phenol–cyclohexanone and phenol–H2O2 in the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation

Hydrogen bonds of phenol–cyclohexanone and phenol–H₂O₂ in the studied Baeyer–Villiger (B–V) oxidation have been investigated by HF, B3LYP, and MP2 methods with various basis sets. The accurate single‐point energies were performed using CCSD(T)/6‐31+G(d,p) and CCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVDZ on the optimized geometries of MP2/6‐31+G(d,p). It has been confirmed that B3LYP/6‐31+G(d,p) could be used to study such hydrogen bonds. Energetic analysis of complexes was carried out using the Xantheas method with BSSE corrected by CP method. Orbital energy order (ε) illuminated that phenol with good hydrogen donor‐acceptor property can interact with cyclohexanone or H₂O₂ to form hydrogen bound complexes, and the binding energies (BE) range from ?4.38 to ?14.06 kcal mol^?1. NBO analysis indicated that the redistribution of atomic charges in the complexes facilitated nucleophilic attack of H₂O₂ on cyclohexanone. The calculated results match remarkably well with the experimental phenomena. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009     

Structure and stability of X4Y4H4 (XY=CC,BN)

Ab initio calculations have been carried out to study the structures and relative stabilities of the planar eight‐membered ring B₄N₄H₄ and its isoelectronic species C₈H₄ at the HF/6‐31G*, MP2/6‐31G*, MP2/6‐311G**, and MP4SDQ/6‐31G* levels. The analyses of Milliken population, vibration frequencies, π‐molecular orbital components, and orbital energy levels were used to evaluate the relative stabilities of these two similar systems. The homodesmotic reactions were also taken to be a useful index of relative stability for X₄Y₄H₄ (XY=CC, BN) and gave the resonance energies with MP4SDQ/6‐31G* of C₈H₄ (?37.2 kcal/mol) < B₄N₄H₄ (?29.2 kcal/mol). Furthermore, we calculated the thermodynamic functions of these reactions to discuss the influence of temperature. It is concluded that B₄N₄H₄ may exist in theory and could be a little more stable than C₈H₄. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 82: 293–298, 2001     

Reaction mechanism of HSH and CH3SH with NH2CH2COCH2X (X = F and Cl) molecules

The reaction mechanism of model compounds H₂S and CH₃SH for cysteine proteases with NH₂CH₂COCH₂X (X = F and Cl) molecules has been investigated using DFT methods with B3LYP and B3PW91 hybrid density functionals at 6‐31+G* basis sets. The single point energy has been calculated for the above reactions with B3LYP and B3PW91 functionals using aug‐cc‐PVDZ infinite basis set in both gas and solution phases. The intrinsic reaction coordinates calculations have been performed to confirm that each transition state is linked by the desired reactants and products. The geometries and relative energies for various stationary points have been determined and discussed. The zero point vibrational energy corrections have been made to predict the reliable energy. The negative value of reaction energy indicates that the overall reaction profile is found to be exothermic. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008     

Estimation of isotropic nuclear magnetic shieldings in the CCSD(T) and MP2 complete basis set limit using affordable correlation calculations

A linear correlation between isotropic nuclear magnetic shielding constants for seven model molecules (CH₂O, H₂O, HF, F₂, HCN, SiH₄ and H₂S) calculated with 37 methods (34 density functionals, RHF, MP2 and CCSD(T)), with affordable pcS‐2 basis set and corresponding complete basis set results, estimated from calculations with the family of polarization‐consistent pcS‐n basis sets is reported. This dependence was also supported by inspection of profiles of deviation between CBS estimated nuclear shieldings and shieldings obtained with the significantly smaller basis sets pcS‐2 and aug‐cc‐pVTZ‐J for the selected set of 37 calculation methods. It was possible to formulate a practical approach of estimating the values of isotropic nuclear magnetic shielding constants at the CCSD(T)/CBS and MP2/CBS levels from affordable CCSD(T)/pcS‐2, MP2/pcS‐2 and DFT/CBS calculations with pcS‐n basis sets. The proposed method leads to a fairly accurate estimation of nuclear magnetic shieldings and considerable saving of computational efforts. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Computational study toward understanding the photodissociation mechanism of sarin

The potential energy surface for sarin (C₄H₁₀FO₂P) dissociation into (CH₃)₂CHO+PO(F)(CH₃), CH₃+(CH₃)₂CHOPO(F), and F+(CH₃)₂CHOPO(CH₃) in the T₁ and S₁ states were investigated at the complete‐active‐space self‐consistent field (CASSCF) with the 6‐31G** and aug‐cc‐PVDZ basis sets. The different reaction pathways are characterized on the basis of the computed potential energy surface and surface crossing point, the time‐dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT) was used to calculate the vertical energies based on the CAS(8,7)/6‐31G** optimized excited structures, which may provide some new insights into the mechanism of the ultraviolet photo‐degradation of sarin molecules. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Ab initio calculations of the Ar–ethane intermolecular potential energy surface using bond function basis sets

The intermolecular potential energy surface (PES) of argon with ethane has been studied by ab initio calculations at the levels of second‐order Møller–Plesset perturbation (MP2) theory and coupled‐cluster theory with single, double, and noniterative triple configurations (CCSD(T)) using a series of augmented correlation‐consistent basis sets. Two sets of bond functions, bf1 (3s3p2d) and bf2 (6s6p4d2f), have been added to the basis sets to show a dramatic and systematic improvement in the convergence of the entire PES. The PES of Ar–ethane is characterized by a global minimum at a near T‐shaped configuration with a well depth of 0.611 kcal mol^?1, a second minimum at a collinear configuration with a well depth of 0.456 kcal mol^?1, and a saddle point connecting the two minima. It is shown that an augmented correlation‐consistent basis set with a set of bond functions, either bf1 or bf2, can effectively produce results equivalent to the next larger augmented correlation‐consistent basis set, that is, aug‐cc‐pVDZ‐bf1 ≈ aug‐cc‐pVTZ, aug‐cc‐pVTZ‐bf1 ≈ aug‐cc‐pVQZ. Very importantly, the use of bond functions improves the PES globally, resulting accurate potential anisotropy. Finally, MP2 method is inadequate for accurate calculations, because it gives a potentially overestimated well depth and, more seriously, a poor potential anisotropy. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Study of conformational and optical rotation for the alaninamide

Six stationary points of alaninamide have been located on the potential surface energy (PES) at the B3LYP/6‐311++G(2d,2p) level of theory both in the gas phase and in aqueous solution. In the aqueous solution, to take the water solvent effect into account, the polarizable continuum model (PCM) method has been used. Accurate geometric structures and their relative stabilities have been investigated. The results show that the intramolecular hydrogen bond plays a very important role in stabilizing the global minimum of the alaninamide. Moreover, the consistent result in relative energy using high‐level computations, including the MP2 and MP3 methods with the same basis set [6‐311++G(2d,2p)], indicates that the B3LYP/6‐311++G(d,p) level may be applied to the analogue system. More importantly, the optical rotation of the optimized conformers (both in the gas phase and in aqueous solution) of alaninamide have been calculated using the density functional theory (DFT) and Hartree–Fock (HF) method at various basis sets (6‐31+G*, 6‐311++G(d,p), 6‐311++G(2d,2p) and aug‐cc‐pvdz). The results show that the selection of the computation method and the basis set in calculation has great influence on the results of the optical rotations. The reliability of the HF method is less than that of DFT, and selecting the basis set of 6‐311++G(2d,2p) and aug‐cc‐pvDZ produces relative reliable results. Analysis of the computational results of the structure parameters and the optical rotations yields the conclusion that just the helixes in molecules caused the chiral molecules to be optical active. The Boltzmann equilibrium distributions for the six conformers (both in the gas phase and in the aqueous solution) are also carried out. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

Ab initio calculations on the barrier height for the hydrogen addition to ethylene and formaldehyde. The importance of spin projection

Heats of reaction and barrier heights have been computed for H + CH₂CH₂ → C₂H₅, H + CH₂O → CH₃O, and H + CH₂O → CH₂OH using unrestricted Hartree-Fock and Møller–Plesset perturbation theory up to fourth order (with and without spin annihilation), using single-reference configuration interaction, and using multiconfiguration self-consistent field methods with 3-21G, 6-31G(d), 6-31G(d,p), and 6-311G(d,p) basis sets. The barrier height in all three reactions appears to be relatively insensitive to the basis sets, but the heats of reaction are affected by p-type polarization functions on hydrogen. Computation of the harmonic vibrational frequencies and infrared intensities with two sets of polarization functions on heavy atoms [6-31G(2d)] improves the agreement with experiment. The experimental barrier height for H + C₂H₄ (2.04 ± 0.08 kcal/mol) is overestimated by 7?9 kcal/mol at the MP2, MP3, and MP4 levels. MCSCF and CISD calculations lower the barrier height by approximately 4 kcal/mol relative to the MP4 calculations but are still almost 4 kcal/mol too high compared to experiment. Annihilation of the largest spin contaminant lowers the MP4SDTQ computed barrier height by 8?9 kcal/mol. For the hydrogen addition to formaldehyde, the same trends are observed. The overestimation of the barrier height with Møller-Plesset perdicted barrier heights for H + C₂H₄ → C₂H₅, H + CH₂O → CH₃O, and H + CH₂O → CH₂OH at the MP4SDTQ /6-31G(d) after spin annihilation are respectively 1.8, 4.6, and 10.5 kcal/mol.     

Computational thermochemistry of glycolaldehyde

We use a variant of the focal point analysis to refine estimates of the relative energies of the four low‐energy torsional conformers of glycolaldehyde. The most stable form is the cis‐cis structure which enjoys a degree of H‐bonding from hydroxyl H to carbonyl O; here dihedral angles τ₁ (O?C? C? O) and τ₂ (C? C? O? H) both are zero. We optimized structures in both CCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVDZ and aug‐cc‐pVTZ; the structures agree within 0.01 Å for bond lengths and 1.0 degrees for valence angles, but the larger basis brings the rotational constants closer to experimental values. According to our extrapolation of CCSD(T) energies evaluated in basis sets ranging to aug‐cc‐pVQZ the trans‐trans form (180°, 180°) has a relative energy of 12.6 kJ/mol. The trans‐gauche conformer (160°, ±75°) is situated at 13.9 kJ/mol and the cis‐trans form (0°, 180°) at 18.9 kJ/mol. Values are corrected for zero point vibrational energy by MP2/aug‐cc‐pVTZ frequencies. Modeling the vibrational spectra is best accomplished by MP2/aug‐cc‐pVTZ with anharmonic corrections. We compute the Watsonian parameters that define the theoretical vibrational‐rotational spectra for the four stable conformers, to assist the search for these species in the interstellar medium. Six transition states are located by G4 and CBS‐QB3 methods as well as extrapolation using energies for structures optimized in CCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVDZ structures. We use two isodesmic reactions with two well‐established thermochemical computational schemes G4 and CBS‐QB3 to estimate energy enthalpy and Gibbs energy of formation as well as the entropy of the gas phase system. Our extrapolated electronic energies of species appearing in the isodesmic reactions produce independent values of thermodynamic quantities consistent with G4 and CBS‐QB3. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A quantum mechanical approach to the kinetics of the hydrogen abstraction reaction H2O2 + •OH → HO2 + H2O

The kinetics of the hydrogen abstraction from H₂O₂ by ^?OH has been modeled with MP2/6‐31G*//MP2/6‐31G*, MP2‐SAC//MP2/6‐31G*, MP2/6‐31+G**//MP2/6‐31+G**, MP2‐SAC// MP2/6‐31+G**, MP4(SDTQ)/6‐311G**//MP2/6‐31G*, CCSD(T)/6‐31G*//CCSD(T)/6‐31G*, CCSD(T)/6‐31G**//CCSD(T)/6‐31G**, CCSD(T)/6‐311++G**//MP2/6‐31G* in the gas phase. MD simulations have been used to generate initial geometries for the stationary points along the potential energy surface for hydrogen abstraction from H₂O₂. The effective fragment potential (EFP) has been used to optimize the relevant structures in solution. Furthermore, the IEFPCM model has been used for the supermolecules generated via MD calculations. IEFPCM/MP2/6‐31G* and IEFPCM/CCSD(T)/6‐31G* calculations have also been performed for structures without explicit water molecules. Experimentally, the rate constant for hydrogen abstraction by ^?OH drops from 1.75 × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 in the gas phase to 4.48 × 10^?14 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 in solution. The same trend has been reproduced best with MP4 (SDTQ)/6‐311G**//MP2/6‐31G* in the gas phase (0.415 × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1) and with EFP (UHF/6‐31G*) in solution (3.23 × 10^?14 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1). © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 37: 502–514, 2005     

Photo‐Induced Hydrogen Exchange Reaction between Methanol and Glyoxal: Formation of Hydroxyketene

We study the structure and photochemistry of the glyoxal–methanol system (G–MeOH) by means of FTIR matrix isolation spectroscopy and ab initio calculations. The FTIR spectra show that the non‐hydrogen‐bonded complex, G–MeOH‐1, is present in an inert environment of solid argon. MP2/aug‐cc‐pVDZ calculations indicate that G–MeOH‐1 is the most stable complex among the five optimized structures. The interaction energy partitioned according to the symmetry‐adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) scheme demonstrates that the dispersion energy gives a larger contribution to the stabilization of a non‐hydrogen‐bonded G–MeOH‐1 complex than compared to the hydrogen‐bonded ones. The irradiation of G–MeOH‐1 with the filtered output of a mercury lamp (λ>370 nm) leads to its photo‐conversion into the hydroxyketene–methanol complex HK–MeOH‐1. The identity of HK–MeOH‐1 is confirmed by both FTIR spectroscopy and MP2/aug‐cc‐pVDZ calculations. An experiment with deuterated methanol (CH₃OD) evidences that hydroxyketene is formed in a photo‐induced hydrogen exchange reaction between glyoxal and methanol. The pathway for the photo‐conversion of G–MeOH‐1 to HK–MeOH‐1 is studied by a coupled‐cluster method [CR–CC(2,3)]. The calculations confirm our experimental findings that the reaction proceeds via hydrogen atom exchange between the OH group of methanol and CH group of glyoxal.     

A novel single‐electron sodium bond system of H3C···Na?Y (YH,OH, F,CCH, CN,and NC)

A novel single‐electron sodium bond system of H₃C···Na? H (I), H₃C···Na? OH(II), H₃C···Na? F(III), H₃C···Na‐CCH(IV), H₃C···Na? CN (V) and H₃C···Na? NC (VI) complexes has been studied by using MP2/6‐311++G** and MP2/aug‐cc‐pVTZ methods for the first time. We demonstrated that the single‐electron sodium bond H₃C···Na? Y formed between H₃C and Na? Y (Y?H, OH, F, CCH, CN, and NC) could induce the Na? Y increased and stretching frequencies of I–IV and VI are red‐shifted, including the Na? N bond in complex V is blue‐shifted abnormally. The interaction energies are calculated at two levels of theory [MP2, CCSD(T)] with different basis. The results shows that the strength of binding bond in group 2 (IV–VI) with π electrons are stronger than that of group 1 (I–III) without π electrons. For all complexes, the main orbital interactions between moieties H₃C and Na? Y are LP₁(C)→LP*₁(Na). By comparisons with some related systems, it is concluded that the strength of single‐electron bond is increased in the order: hydrogen bond < bromine bond < sodium bond < lithium bond. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011