Theoretical study of the electronic structure of diazomethane

The least-energy dissociation path of the ground state of CH₂N₂ was determined fromab initio calculations using in a complementary way basis sets of minimal size (STO-3G) and double-zeta (DZ) quality. The results indicate that the least-energy point of attack of the N₂ molecule on CH₂ (¹ A ₁) is roughly perpendicular to the molecular plane (93 °), the C and N atoms being almost co-linear (angle C-N-N203 ° with outermost N atom pointing away from CH₂). The potential barrier of 1.2 eV found previously on theC _2v dissociation path, disappears completely along the least-energy dissociation path (point groupC _s (out-of-plane)). These findings corroborate the Woodward-Hoffman rules for this process since the outermost orbitals of the two intersecting states found in point groupC _2v (...2b ₁ and ...8a ₁) both correlate to the same irreducible representation (10á) in point groupC _s (out-of-plane).Larger basis set calculations (DZ + polarization functions on all centers, 3d _c and 3d _N developed here), were also carried out on CH₂N₂ (¹ A ₁,³ A ₂ and¹ A ₂) at the¹ A ₁ equilibrium geometry and on CH₂ (³ B ₁) and N₂ (¹ _g ⁺ ) at their respective equilibrium geometries. These calculations, together with consideration of correlation energy differences, yieldD ₀ ⁰ (CH₂N₂,¹ A ₁) = 19 kcal/mole and vertical excitation energies of 67 and 73 kcal/mole for the³ A ₂ and¹ A ₂ states respectively. The latter value is in good agreement with the measured experimental value: 72.4 kcal/mole corresponding to the maximum of intensity in the¹ A ₂¹ A ₁ absorption band.     

Theoretical assignments of the electronic spectrum of acetylene

Non empirical calculations of energies and properties of some excited states of acetylene are presented. A frozen core approximation is used and excitations to , and MO's are taken into account. Both valence and Rydberg states are considered. Assignments of the UV and electron impact spectra are proposed and some questions are raised.     

Theoretical study of the potential energy curves of the diatomic radicals MeIIX. III. Application to MgCl,CaF and CaCl radicals and some preliminary remarks

The series of calculations of the potential energy curves of the diatomic radicals Me_IIX (Me_II = second group metal, X = halogen), has been extended to MgCl, CaF and CaCl. The calculations have been performed according to a stepwise procedure, outlined in previous works. The presently available results allow comparisons for the first members of the series.     

Theoretical approach of the conformations of benzylidene aniline using the PCILO method

The conformational properties of benzylidene aniline (BA) were investigated using the PCILO method. Evidence has been provided that the optimization of geometry plays a prominent part, in agreement with recent experimental work on photoelectron spectroscopy by Haselbach.     

A non-empirical molecular orbital study on the relative stabilities of adenine and guanine tautomers

The relative stabilities of a series of adenine and guanine tautomers have been calculated using anab initio Hartree-Fock-Roothaan SCF MO method. The calculated relative stabilities agree in general with the results of earlier semiempirical studies. According to the present study, tautomeric forms with regular Kekulé structure for the six-membered purine ring are the most stable. The amine-imine tautomerization of purine bases is not likely to be responsible for spontaneous mutations in DNA.     

Comments on the electronic properties of cyclopropane,cyclobutane, and cyclohexane

Spectral quantities of cyclopropane, cyclobutane, cyclohexane, and of several derivatives, have been calculated by a semiempirical all-valence electron SCF-CI MO method. In cyclopropane, HOMO is practically localized in the carbon-frame, and LVMO is purely so. In cyclobutane, these two MO's are based on C-H bonds, while cyclohexane holds an intermediate position. Despite the overall similarity-experimental and computed-of the spectra of these molecules, assignments are non-parallel. Like cyclopropane, cyclobutane can extend conjugation, but to a diminished degree; cyclohexane behaves in this respect like an acyclic alkane. An interpretation of this gradation, in terms of the nature of high-lying MO's, is proposed.     

The electronic structure and one-electron properties of BH computed from SCF and CI wave functions

The SCF and CI wave functions for BH, obtained in calculations described in detail elsewhere [2], are compared through their electron distributions and electron moments.Taken in part from a Ph.D. thesis submitted to the University of Toronto in 1971.     

Band structure of nonclassical polymers

It is shown that fully conjugated alternant nonclassical polymers are comparatively stable systems as a result of the considerable delocalisation energy.The energy characteristics of the polymers are strongly determined by the electron spin distribution of the degenerate nonbonding molecular orbitals; the full spin configuration,S>0, is favoured. The spin densities depend on the electron correlation and alternate; this corresponds to a ferrimagnetic state of the polymer at 0°K.     

Dissociation of diimide

Parts of the potential energy surface of N₂H₂ have been studied using CASSCF- and contracted CI-methods. Of particular interest was the concerted dissociation of cis- and trans-diimide into N₂ and H₂, since the trans-dissociation is symmetry allowed and the cis-dissociation forbidden. Three different saddle points were located, of which only one, of C ₂- symmetry, is a true transition state. Elaborate numerical gradient methods using exact Hessians and update procedures had to be used to find these saddle points on the unexpectedly complex N₂H₂-surface. The barrier height with respect to trans-diimide is 61 kcal/mol after vibration correction. Since this energy is higher than the barrier for interconversion, cis- and trans-diimide have the same transition state. It is further found that diimide preferably dissociates stepwise, by losing one hydrogen at a time, rather than in a concerted way. This conclusion is drawn basically because the geometry of the transition state for the concerted dissociation has a very long H-H distance of 5.6 a.u. The N-H bond energy in trans-diimide is 56 kcal/mol after vibration correction.     

On the use of pseudopotentials in molecular calculations

A series of tests was performed of the Kahn-Goddard-Melius-Topiol pseudopotentials in view of their utilization with small contracted basis sets in molecular computations. The effects of inner-shell separability and of basis set contraction are underlined. The utilizability of Topiol's valence least-squares fitted Gaussian basis sets is studied.     

Structure and properties of non-classical polymers II. Band structure and spin densities

Theoretical investigation of the band structure of three types of nonclassical polymers, namely alternant (one- and two-dimensional), nonalternant and heteroatomic, are carried out. Although polyradicals, these polymers have a considerable delocalization energy which may determine their relative stability.The spin-density distribution of the alternant type of non-classical polymers corresponds to a ferrimagnetic ground state at 0 K.The non-classical polymers represent a new class of organic systems as their band structure and magnetic properties essentially differ from those of common polymers.     

Theoretical study of the potential energy curves of the series of diatomic radicals MeIIX

The potential energy curves of some low lying electronic states of the diatomic radicals BeCl and MgF have been calculated. The calculation has been performed according to a stepwise procedure, outlined in a previous work. The potential energy curves are very similar to those of the mercury halide radicals, the electronic transitions of which can be employed for efficient laser apparatus.     

Non-empirical molecular orbital theory of the electronic structure of molecular crystals

A non-empirical molecular orbital treatment of molecular crystals, based on SCF perturbation theory and matrix partitioning methods is presented.     

Ab initio SCF and CI study of the electronic spectrum of pyridine N-oxide

Configuration interaction (CI) studies of ground, n *, * * electronically excited states are reported for pyridine N-oxide. The transition energy to the lowest * excited ¹ B ₂ state is calculated at 4.35 eV, compared to the experimental spectrum range of 3.67–4.0 eV. This state lies below the lowest n * excited ¹ A ₂ state calculated at 4.81 eV above the ground state. The only experimentally reported triplet state at 2.92 eV above the ground state is predicted to be the ³ A ₁ (*) state. The calculated energy lies at 3.27 eV. Numerous other high-lying singlet states as well as the triplet states have also been calculated. The intramolecular charge transfer character of the ground and the excited states have been studied in terms of the calculated dipole moment and other physical properties.     

Molecular orbital calculations based on linear combinations of fragment orbitals

A semiempirical MO method based on localized fragment orbitals has been developed, which is particularly suited for the construction of orbital correlation diagrams for the discussion of the electronic structure of complex molecules in terms of fragments and their interactions. The method allows for the inclusion of experimental ionization potentials and electron affinities of the fragments within the calculation of the Fock matrix elements and may thus form the basis of an interpretation of photoelectron spectra, comparable to the interpretation of UV spectra by means of the MIM method of Longuet-Higgins and Murrell. Several levels of approximation are discussed using the acrolein molecule as an example.     

An ab initio study of formamide

Calculated energy and molecular properties of the ground and low-energy excited states of formamide are presented at the ground state geometry. Satisfactory results are obtained except for the ¹* energy which remains too high by 1 eV (which is nevertheless a large improvement over previous calculations). The predicted triplet energies lie at 5.4 eV (³ n*) and 5.8 eV (³*).     

Theoretical studies on the conformation of saccharides

Conformations of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran as a model for the six-membered ring in aldopyranosides have been calculated by the PCILO method using the algorithm of the conjugated gradient to optimize the geometry. The calculated geometry of the fourteen basic forms of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran was found to be in agreement with the available data obtained by X-ray diffraction of pyranosides. The results indicate differences in the geometry of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran resulting from the change of the axial vs. equatorial position of the methoxyl group. These changes are particularly meaningful in the values of bond angles and they are in agreement with the anomeric and exoanomeric effects. The experimentally found differences in the energies of an axial (⁴ C ₁) and equatorial (¹ C ₄) conformer, G = 2.9–3.7 kJ/mol, and the dipole moment, = 1.20 ± 0.05 D (1D = 3.33 10^–30mAs) agree well with the calculated values E = 3.18 kJ/mol and <> = 1.18 D which, in turn, suggest that the axial conformer is preferred over the equatorial one by a ratio a:e = 78:22.     

Electronic structure of unstable intermediates

The geometry of the linear molecule HBO, has been investigated within the restricted Hartree-Fock LCAO-MO-SCF approximation. The calculated bond lengths for the near Hartree-Fock calculation were R(H-B)=2.1913 bohr, R(B-O)=2.2284 bohr. Several one electron properties have been calculated for the minimum energy configuration.     

A theoretical study of electrophilic reactions

The electronic structures of protonated formyl and acetylium cations and their deprotonation paths leading to HCO⁺, COH⁺ and CH₃CO⁺have been studied by means of ab initio calculations. The results support Olah's theory that dipositive species can be the de facto reagents in electrophilic reactions.     

Configuration interaction methods for improving unrestricted Hartree-Fock spin densities

Limited Configuration Interaction wave functions based on Unrestricted Hartree-Fock natural orbitals are found to be easy to compute and to give much more satisfactory spin densities than are provided by techniques currently in use.