Highly Accurate CCSD(T) and DFT–SAPT Stabilization Energies of H‐Bonded and Stacked Structures of the Uracil Dimer

The CCSD(T) interaction energies for the H‐bonded and stacked structures of the uracil dimer are determined at the aug‐cc‐pVDZ and aug‐cc‐pVTZ levels. On the basis of these calculations we can construct the CCSD(T) interaction energies at the complete basis set (CBS) limit. The most accurate energies, based either on direct extrapolation of the CCSD(T) correlation energies obtained with the aug‐cc‐pVDZ and aug‐cc‐pVTZ basis sets or on the sum of extrapolated MP2 interaction energies (from aug‐cc‐pVTZ and aug‐cc‐pVQZ basis sets) and extrapolated ΔCCSD(T) correction terms [difference between CCSD(T) and MP2 interaction energies] differ only slightly, which demonstrates the reliability and robustness of both techniques. The latter values, which represent new standards for the H‐bonding and stacking structures of the uracil dimer, differ from the previously published data for the S22 set by a small amount. This suggests that interaction energies of the S22 set are generated with chemical accuracy. The most accurate CCSD(T)/CBS interaction energies are compared with interaction energies obtained from various computational procedures, namely the SCS–MP2 (SCS: spin‐component‐scaled), SCS(MI)–MP2 (MI: molecular interaction), MP3, dispersion‐augmented DFT (DFT–D), M06–2X, and DFT–SAPT (SAPT: symmetry‐adapted perturbation theory) methods. Among these techniques, the best results are obtained with the SCS(MI)–MP2 method. Remarkably good binding energies are also obtained with the DFT–SAPT method. Both DFT techniques tested yield similarly good interaction energies. The large magnitude of the stacking energy for the uracil dimer, compared to that of the benzene dimer, is explained by attractive electrostatic interactions present in the stacked uracil dimer. These interactions force both subsystems to approach each other and the dispersion energy benefits from a shorter intersystem separation.     

Stacking of Metal Chelates with Benzene: Can Dispersion‐Corrected DFT Be Used to Calculate Organic–Inorganic Stacking?

CCSD(T)/CBS energies for stacking of nickel and copper chelates are calculated and used as benchmark data for evaluating the performance of dispersion‐corrected density functionals for calculating the interaction energies. The best functionals for modeling the stacking of benzene with the nickel chelate are M06HF‐D3 with the def2‐TZVP basis set, and B3LYP‐D3 with either def2‐TZVP or aug‐cc‐pVDZ basis set, whereas for copper chelate the PBE0‐D3 with def2‐TZVP basis set yielded the best results. M06L‐D3 with aug‐cc‐pVDZ gives satisfying results for both chelates. Most of the tested dispersion‐corrected density functionals do not reproduce the benchmark data for stacking of benzene with both nickel (no unpaired electrons) and copper chelate (one unpaired electron), whereas a number of these functionals perform well for interactions of organic molecules.     

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.     

Assessment of dispersion‐improved exchange‐correlation functionals for the simulation of CO2 binding by alcoholamines

In this study, 12 bound complexes were selected to construct a database for testing 15 dispersion‐improved exchange‐correlation (XC) functionals, including hybrid generalized gradient approximation (GGA), modified using the Grimme's pairwise strategy, and double hybrid XC functionals, for specifically characterizing the CO₂ binding by alcoholamines. Bound complexes were selected based on the characteristics of their hydrogen bonds, dispersion, and electrostatic (particularly between the positive charge of CO₂ and the lone pair of N of alcoholamines) interactions. The extrapolated binding energy from the aug‐cc‐pVTZ (ATZ) to aug‐cc‐pVQZ (AQZ) basis set at the CCSD(T)/CBS(MP2+DZ) level was used as the reference for the XC functional comparison. M06‐2X produced the optimal agreement if the optimized geometries at MP2/ATZ level were chosen for all the test bound complexes. However, M06‐L, ωB97X, and ωB97, and were preferred if the corresponding density functional theory (DFT) optimized geometries were adapted for the benchmark. Simple bimolecular reaction between CO₂ and monoethanolamine simulated using polarizable continuum solvation model confirmed that ωB97, ωB97X, and ωB97XD qualitatively reproduced the energetics of MP2 level. The inconsistent performance of the tested XC functionals, observed when using MP2 or DFT optimized geometries, raised concerns regarding using the single‐point ab initio correction combined with DFT optimized geometry, particularly for determining the nucleophilic attack by alcoholamines to CO₂. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Performance of density‐functional tight‐binding models in describing hydrogen‐bonded anionic‐water clusters

Density‐functional tight‐binding (DFTB) models are computationally efficient approximations to density‐functional theory that have been shown to predict reliable structural and energetic properties for various systems. In this work, the reliability and accuracy of the self‐consistent‐charge DFTB model and its recent extension(s) in predicting the structures, binding energies, charge distributions, and vibrational frequencies of small water clusters containing polyatomic anions of the Hofmeister series (carbonate, sulfate, hydrogen phosphate, acetate, nitrate, perchlorate, and thiocyanate) have been carefully and systematically evaluated on the basis of high‐level ab initio quantum‐chemistry [MP2/aug‐cc‐pVTZ and CCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVQZ] reference data. Comparison with available experimental data has also been made for further validation. The self‐consistent‐charge DFTB model, and even more so its recent extensions, are shown to properly account for the structural properties, energetics, intermolecular polarization, and spectral signature of hydrogen‐bonding in anionic water clusters at a fraction of the computational cost of ab initio quantum‐chemistry methods. This makes DFTB models candidates of choice for investigating much larger systems such as seeded water droplets, their structural properties, formation thermodynamics, and infrared spectra. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Theoretical investigation of the structures and spectroscopic properties of (H2O4)n (n = 1–4) clusters

Density functional theory and ab initio calculations were performed to elucidate the hydrogen interactions in (H₂O₄)_n (n = 1–4) clusters. The optimized geometries, binding energies, and harmonic vibrational frequencies were predicted at various levels of theory. The trans conformer of the H₂O₄ monomer was predicted to be the most stable structure at the CCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVTZ level of theory. The binding energies per H₂O₄ monomer increased in absolute value by 9.0, 10.1, and 11.8 kcal/mol from n = 2 to n = 4 at the MP2/cc‐pVTZ level of theory (after the zero‐point vibrational energy and basis set superposition error corrections). This result implies that the intermolecular hydrogen bonds were stronger in the long‐chain clusters, that is, the formation of the longer chain in the (H₂O₄)_n clusters was more energetically favorable.     

Structure,properties, and nature of the BrF‐HX complexes: An Ab initio study

Structure and properties of complexes (energies and charge transfer) of complexes BrF‐HX (X = F, Cl, Br, I) have been investigated at the MP2/aug‐cc‐pVDZ (aug‐cc‐pVDZ‐pp basis sets for I) level. Two types of geometries (hydrogen‐bonded and halogen‐bonded) are observed. The calculated interaction energies show that the halogen bonded structures are more stable than the corresponding hydrogen‐bonded structures. To study the nature of the intermolecular interactions, symmetry‐adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) energy decomposition analysis reveals that the BrF‐HX complexes are dominantly electrostatic in nature. © 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.     

On the performance of long‐range‐corrected density functional theory and reduced‐size polarized LPol‐n basis sets in computations of electric dipole (hyper)polarizabilities of π‐conjugated molecules

Static longitudinal electric dipole (hyper)polarizabilities are calculated for six medium‐sized π‐conjugated organic molecules using recently developed LPol‐n basis set family to assess their performance. Dunning's correlation‐consistent basis sets of triple‐ζ quality combined with MP2 method and supported by CCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVDZ results are used to obtain the reference values of analyzed properties. The same reference is used to analyze (hyper)polarizabilities predicted by selected exchange‐correlation functionals, particularly those asymptotically corrected. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of fluid methane properties using ab initio intermolecular interaction potentials

Intermolecular interaction energy data for the methane dimer have been calculated at a spectroscopic accuracy and employed to construct an ab initio potential energy surface (PES) for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of fluid methane properties. The full potential curves of the methane dimer at 12 symmetric conformations were calculated by the supermolecule counterpoise‐corrected second‐order Møller‐Plesset (MP2) perturbation theory. Single‐point coupled cluster with single and double and perturbative triple excitations [CCSD(T)] calculations were also carried out to calibrate the MP2 potentials. We employed Pople's medium size basis sets [up to 6‐311++G(3df, 3pd)] and Dunning's correlation consistent basis sets (cc‐pVXZ and aug‐cc‐pVXZ, X = D, T, Q). For each conformer, the intermolecular carbon–carbon separation was sampled in a step 0.1 Å for a range of 3–9 Å, resulting in a total of 732 configuration points calculated. The MP2 binding curves display significant anisotropy with respect to the relative orientations of the dimer. The potential curves at the complete basis set (CBS) limit were estimated using well‐established analytical extrapolation schemes. A 4‐site potential model with sites located at the hydrogen atoms was used to fit the ab initio potential data. This model stems from a hydrogen–hydrogen repulsion mechanism to explain the stability of the dimer structure. MD simulations using the ab initio PES show quantitative agreements on both the atom‐wise radial distribution functions and the self‐diffusion coefficients over a wide range of experimental conditions. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 2009     

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     

Which density functional is close to CCSD accuracy to describe geometry and interaction energy of small noncovalent dimers? A benchmark study using Gaussian09

A benchmark study on all possible density functional theory (DFT) methods in Gaussian09 is done to locate functionals that agree well with CCSD/aug‐cc‐pVTZ geometry and Ave‐CCSD(T)/(Q‐T) interaction energy (E_int) for small non‐covalently interacting molecular dimers in “dispersion‐dominated” (class 1), “dipole‐induced dipole” (class 2), and “dipole‐dipole” (class 3) classes. A DFT method is recommended acceptable if the geometry showed close agreement to CCSD result (RMSD < 0.045) and E_int was within 80–120% accuracy. Among 382 tested functionals, 1–46% gave good geometry, 13–44% gave good E_int, while 1–33% satisfied geometry and energy criteria. Further screening to locate the best performing functionals for all the three classes was made by counting the acceptable values of energy and geometry given by each functionals. The meta‐generalized gradient approximation (GGA) functional M06L was the best performer with total 14 hits; seven acceptable energies and seven acceptable geometries. This was the only functional “recommended” for at least two dimers in each class. The functionals M05, B2PLYPD, B971, mPW2PLYPD, PBEB95, and CAM‐B3LYP gave 11 hits while PBEhB95, PW91B95, Wb97x, BRxVP86, BRxP86, HSE2PBE, HSEh1PBE, PBE1PBE, PBEh1PBE, and PW91TPSS gave 10 hits. Among these, M05, B971, mPW2PLYPD, Wb97x, and PW91TPSS were among the “recommended” list of at least one dimer from each class. Long‐range correction (LC) of Hirao and coworkers to exchange‐correlation functionals showed massive improvement in geometry and E_int. The best performing LC‐functionals were LC‐G96KCIS and LC‐PKZBPKZB. Our results predict that M06L is the most trustworthy DFT method in Gaussian09 to study small non‐covalently interacting systems. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A theoretical analysis of substituted aromatic compounds

The substituents ? CH₃, ? F, ? NO₂, ? OCH₃, and ? CH₂?CH₂ were placed at the ortho, meta, and para positions on the aromatic molecules aniline, benzaldehdye, nitrobenzene, and phenol. MMFF94, AM1, B3LYP, M06, M06‐2X, ωB97X, ωB97X‐d, and RI‐MP2 using cc‐pVDZ and cc‐pVTZ and CCSD(T) with cc‐pVDZ basis sets were used to calculate the geometries and energies of all regiomers of the molecules. Relative energies of the ortho and meta regiomers relative to the para regiomers were calculated and compared to the CCSD(T) values. A good basis set correlation between cc‐pVDZ and cc‐pVTZ was observed in RI‐MP2. Overall, RI‐MP2 gave the best correlation with the CCSD(T) results. All of the hybrid functionals showed similar accuracy and could effectively describe the intramolecular hydrogen‐bonding interactions of these compounds. The methoxy group at the para position in methoxyaniline, methoxyphenol, methoxynitrobenzene, and methoxybenzaldehyde was rotated around the phenyl‐O bond. HF, along with the cc‐pVDZ basis with the other methods, generated inaccurate energy profiles for p‐methoxyphenol. For the density functional theory methods, it was necessary to use improved grids to get smooth curves. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

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.     

Computer simulation of trifluoromethane properties with ab initio force field

Intermolecular interaction potentials of the trifluoromethane dimer in 15 orientations have been calculated using the Hartree‐Fock (HF) self‐consistent theory and the second‐order Møller‐Plesset (MP2) perturbation theory. Single point energies at important geometries were also calibrated by the coupled cluster with single and double and perturbative triple excitation [CCSD(T)] calculations. We have employed Pople's medium size basis sets [up to 6‐311++G(3df,3pd)] and Dunning's correlation consistent basis sets (up to aug‐cc‐pVQZ). Basis set limit potential values were obtained through well‐studied extrapolation methods. The calculated MP2 potential data were employed to parameterize a 5‐site force field for molecular simulations. We performed molecular dynamics simulations using the constructed ab initio force field and compared the simulation results with experiments. Quantitative agreements for the atom‐wise radial distribution functions and the self‐diffusion coefficients over a wide range of experimental conditions can be obtained, thus validating the ab initio force field without using experimental data a priori. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2011     

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     

DSD‐PBEP86‐NL and DOD‐PBEP86‐NL functionals for noncovalent interactions: Basis set effects and tentative applications to large noncovalent systems

Basis set effects on the DSD‐PBEP86‐NL and DOD‐PBEP86‐NL functionals for noncovalent interactions have been extensively studied in this work. The cc‐pVXZ (X = D, T, Q, 5, 6) and augmented aug‐cc‐pVXZ (X = D, T, Q) basis sets are systematically tested without counterpoise (CP) corrections against the well‐known S66 database. Additionally, the basis sets of def2‐TZVPP and def2‐TZVPPD are also examined. Based on our computations, the performances of the aug‐cc‐pVQZ, cc‐pV5Z, and cc‐pV6Z basis sets are very approximate to those obtained with the def2‐QZVP basis set for both the DSD‐PBEP86‐NL and DOD‐PBEP86‐NL functionals. Note that the short‐range attenuation parameters for these two functionals were directly optimized using the def2‐QZVP basis set without CP corrections against the S66 database. Generally speaking, the cc‐pVXZ (X = D, T, Q), aug‐cc‐pVXZ (X = D, T, Q), def2‐TZVPP, and def2‐TZVPPD basis sets favor half CP correction for these two functionals. Nevertheless, the aug‐cc‐pVQZ basis set already performs well without any CP correction, especially for the DOD‐PBEP86‐NL functional. With respect to accuracy and computational cost, the cc‐pVTZ and def2‐TZVPP basis sets with half CP corrections are recommended for these two functionals to evaluate interaction energies of large noncovalent complexes.     

Comparative study on formamide–water complex

The hydrogen bonding of 1:1 complexes formed between formamide and water molecule have been investigated systematically using Hartree–Fock (HF), hybrid density functional theory (B3LYP), and post‐Hartree–Fock (MP2 and CCSD(T)) methods with range of basis sets 6‐31G(d), cc‐pVXZ (X = D, T, Q) and aug‐cc‐pVYZ (Y = D, T). Three stable structures are considered on the potential energy surface of formamide and water system. The optimized geometric parameters and interaction energies for various isomers at different levels are estimated. The IR frequencies, intensities, and frequency shifts are reported. This study shows that B3LYP/aug‐cc‐pVDZ method gives better performance for formamide‐water complexes. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010.     

A theoretical study on three conformational structures of 2,6‐distyrylpyridine

Ab initio methods at the levels HF/cc‐pVDZ, HF/6‐31G(d,p), MP2/cc‐pVDZ, and MP2/6‐31G(d,p), as well as methods based on density functional theory (DFT) employing the hybrid functional B3LYP with the basis sets cc‐pVDZ and 6‐31G(d,p), have been applied to study the conformers of 2,6‐distyrylpyridine. Bond distances, bond angles, and dihedral angles have been calculated at the B3LYP level. The calculated values were in good agreement with those measured by X‐ray diffraction analysis of 2,6‐distyrylpyridine. The values calculated using the Hartree‐Fock method and second‐order perturbation theory (MP2) were inconsistent. The optimized lowest‐energy geometries were calculated from the reported X‐ray structural data by the B3LYP/cc‐pVDZ method. Three conformations, A, B, and C, were proposed for 2,6‐distyrylpyridine. Calculations at the three levels of theory indicated that conformation A was the most stable structure, with conformations C and B being higher in energy by 1.10 and 2.57 kcal/mol, respectively, using the same method and basis function. The same trend in the relative energies of the three possible conformations was observed at the two levels of theory and with the different basis sets employed. The reported X‐ray data were utilized to optimize total molecular energy of conformation A at the different calculation levels. The bond lengths, bond angles, and dihedral angles were then obtained from the optimized geometries by ab initio methods and by applying DFT using the two basis functions cc‐pVDZ and 6‐31G(d,p). The values were analyzed and compared. The calculated total energies, the relative energies of the molecular orbitals, the gap between them, and the dipole moment for each conformational structure proposed for 2,6‐distyrylpyridine are also reported. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010