Ab initio investigation of phloroglucinol

All-electron ab initio Hartree–Fock (RHF ) calculations have been carried out to investigate the keto/enol equilibrium of phloroglucinol. The calculations predict that the enol form of phloroglucinol, 1,3,5-benzenetriol, is by far the most stable of the two. This is confirmed by NMR spectra taken on phloroglucinol. A comparison of the keto enol form transformation of phloroglucinol with that of the phenol system shows that the keto form of phloroglucinol, 1,3,5-cyclohexanetrion, is more abundant in the phloroglucinol system, and the keto form of phenol, 2,4-cyclohexadien-1-on, in the phenol system. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Ab initio study on the photochemical behavior of styrene

Ab initio complete active space self‐consistent field (CASSCF) and the second order multireference Møller‐Plesset calculations have been performed to examine the photochemical behavior of styrene upon the strong S₀‐S₂ electronic excitation in the low‐lying excited states. The optimized structure at the S₂/S₁ conical intersection (CIX) is characterized by a quinoid structure. The transition state (TS) in S₁ is in the vicinity of the S₂/S₁‐CIX. At the S₁‐TS, two reaction paths branch. One is the relaxation into the stable structure in S₁ and then emission into S₀. The other is the radiationless decay through the S₁/S₀‐CIX. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 10: 950–956, 2002     

Ab initio investigation of the hydration of deprotonated amino acids

The complexation of five deprotonated anionic amino acids (glycine, L-alanine, L-valine, L-Aspartic acid, and L-glutamine) with one water molecule, has been investigated using a MP2/63-11++G(d,p) approach fully accounting for the basis set superposition errors. For each amino acid, several energetic minima have been identified, and we provide spectroscopic information allowing to discriminate them. Our results strongly suggest that two complexes should coexist under the experimental conditions for [Ala − H]⁻, [Val − H]⁻, and [Asp − H]⁻. Comparisons with the experimental enthalpies, entropies, and Gibbs free energies recently obtained by Wincel [J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 2008, 19, 1091–1097] show that our simulation reproduces the most significant structure/energy experimental trends, though the entropic changes induced by hydration are slightly overestimated.     

Ab initio investigation of ammonia-borane complexes for hydrogen storage

The structural, electronic, and thermodynamic properties of ammonia-borane complexes with varying amounts of hydrogen have been characterized by first principles calculations within density functional theory. The calculated structural parameters and thermodynamic functions (free energy, enthalpy and entropy) were found to be in good agreement with experimental and quantum chemistry data for the crystals, dimers, and molecules. The authors find that zero-point energies change several H2 release reactions from endothermic to exothermic. Both the ammonia-borane polymeric and borazine-cyclotriborazane cycles show a strong exothermic decomposition character (approximately -10 kcal/mol), implying that rehydrogenation may be difficult to moderate H2 pressures. Hydrogen bonding in these systems has been characterized and they find the N-H bond to be more covalent than the more ionic B-H bond.     

Ab initio investigation of the electronic structure of malonic dialdehyde derivatives

An ab initio quantum chemical investigation is performed for a series of ligands of Β-diketonate metal complexes: neutral and anionic forms of malonic dialdehyde and its nitrous analogs. The nature and sequence of molecular orbitals are established, and the influence of the basis set used on the results of electronic structure calculations of the compounds are analyzed. The electronic effects of oxygen substitution by the NH group are analyzed. The results are compared with the photoelectron spectroscopy data of the ligands. Translated fromZhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 38, No. 6, pp. 1061–1066, November–December, 1997.     

Ab initio structural and vibrational investigation of sulfuric acid monohydrate

We employ ab initio methods to find stable geometries and to calculate potential energy surfaces and vibrational wavenumbers for sulfuric acid monohydrate. Geometry optimizations are carried out with the explicitly correlated coupled-cluster approach that includes single, double, and perturbative triple excitations (CCSD(T)-F12a) with a valence double-ζ basis set (VDZ-F12). Four different stable geometries are found, and the two lowest are within 0.41 kJ mol(-1) (or 34 cm(-1)) of each other. Vibrational harmonic wavenumbers are calculated at both the density-fitted local spin component scaled second-order M?ller-Plesset perturbation theory (DF-SCS-LMP2) with the aug-cc-pV(T+d)Z basis set and the CCSD-F12/VDZ-F12 level. Water O-H stretching vibrations and two highly anharmonic large-amplitude motions connecting the three lowest potential energy minima are considered by limiting the dimensionality of the corresponding potential energy surfaces to small two- or three-dimensional subspaces that contain only strongly coupled vibrational degrees of freedom. In these anharmonic domains, the vibrational problem is solved variationally using potential energy surfaces calculated at the CCSD(T)-F12a/VDZ-F12 level.     

Ab initio investigation of benzene clusters: molecular tailoring approach

An exhaustive study on the clusters of benzene (Bz)(n), n = 2-8, at MP2/6-31++G(??) level of theory is reported. The relative strengths of CH-π and π-π interactions in these aggregates are examined, which eventually govern the pattern of cluster formation. A linear scaling method, viz., molecular tailoring approach (MTA), is efficiently employed for studying the energetics and growth patterns of benzene clusters consisting up to eight benzene (Bz) units. Accuracy of MTA-based calculations is appraised by performing the corresponding standard calculations wherever possible, i.e., up to tetramers. For benzene tetramers, the error introduced in energy is of the order of 0.1 mH (～0.06 kcal/mol). Although for higher clusters the error may build up, further corrections based on many-body interaction energy analysis substantially reduce the error in the MTA-estimate. This is demonstrated for a prototypical case of benzene hexamer. A systematic way of building up a cluster of n monomers (n-mer) which employs molecular electrostatic potential of an (n-1)-mer is illustrated. The trends obtained using MTA method are essentially identical to those of the standard methods in terms of structure and energy. In summary, this study clearly brings out the possibility of effecting such large calculations, which are not possible conventionally, by the use of MTA without a significant loss of accuracy.     

Ab initio investigation on the structures and spectra of the firefly luciferin

The ground state (S0) geometry of the firefly luciferin (LH2) was optimized by both DFT B3LYP and CASSCF methods. The vertical excitation energies (Tv) of three low-lying states (S1, S2, and S3) were calculated by TD-DFT B3LYP//CASSCF method. The S1 geometry was optimized by CASSCF method. Its Tv and the transition energy (Te) were calculated by MS-CASPT2//CASSCF method. Both the TD-DFT and MS-CASPT2 calculated S1 state Tv values agree with the experimental one. The IPEA shift greatly affects the MS-CASPT2 calculated Tv values. Some important excited states of LH2 and oxyluciferin (oxyLH2) are charge-transfer states and have more than one dominant configuration, so for deeply researching the firefly bioluminescence, the multireference calculations are desired.     

Ab initio molecular dynamical investigation of the finite temperature behavior of the tetrahedral Au19 and Au20 clusters

Density functional molecular dynamics simulations have been carried out to understand the finite temperature behavior of Au19 and Au20 clusters. Au20 has been reported to be a unique molecule having tetrahedral geometry, a large HOMO-LUMO energy gap, and an atomic packing similar to that of the bulk gold (Li, J.; et al. Science 2003, 299, 864). Our results show that the geometry of Au19 is exactly identical with that of Au20 with one missing corner atom (called a vacancy). Surprisingly, our calculated heat capacities for this nearly identical pair of gold clusters exhibit dramatic differences. Au20 undergoes a clear and distinct solid-like to liquid-like transition with a sharp peak in the heat capacity curve around 770 K. On the other hand, Au19 has a broad and flat heat capacity curve with continuous melting transition. This continuous melting transition turns out to be a consequence of a process involving a series of atomic rearrangements along the surface to fill in the missing corner atom. This results in a restricted diffusive motion of atoms along the surface of Au19 between 650 to 900 K during which the shape of the ground state geometry is retained. In contrast, the tetrahedral structure of Au20 is destroyed around 800 K, and the cluster is clearly in a liquid-like state above 1000 K. Thus, this work clearly demonstrates that (i) the gold clusters exhibit size sensitive variations in the heat capacity curves and (ii) the broad and continuous melting transition in a cluster, a feature that has so far been attributed to the disorder or absence of symmetry in the system, can also be a consequence of a defect (absence of a cap atom) in the structure.     

单态卡宾与臭氧反应机理的量子化学研究

为了研究单态卡宾与臭氧反应机理,本文采用密度泛函理论Gaussian-3方法(G3B3)优化了反应物、中间体、过渡态和产物的几何构型。探讨了单态卡宾与臭氧反应可能途径,并通过频率分析对过渡态和中间体进行了验证,研究结果表明：单态卡宾与臭氧反应有两条反应通道,分别具有亲核反应和亲电反应特征,相对而言亲核反应通道较易发生,且为强放热反应。     

Ab initio investigation of the Young's modulus of polyamide‐6

The Young's modulus of the α form of polyamide‐6 has been calculated using the supermolecule model. The crystalline polymer was represented by a single‐chain molecule, divided into a head, body, and tail part. The body of the model contains an even number of polyamide‐6 units (4–16 units) and is representative for a polyamide‐6 chain. The periodicity of the system was not explicitly taken into account, but in a few tests the effect of a linear constraint has been evaluated. An n‐butyl and n‐pentyl group have been used as head and tail, respectively. In a number of additional calculations the length of the head and tail has been varied. For all supermolecule models the equilibrium and elongated structures have been optimized using ab initio Hartree–Fock calculations with a 6‐31G** basis set. From the energy values of the optimized structure a Young's modulus of 334 GPa has been extrapolated for both the unconstrained and linearly constrained models. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2003     

Ab initio study of the magnetic behavior of four dithiadiazolyl radical compounds

We have studied, by means of ab initio calculations, the magnetic interaction mechanisms in four radical crystals, X–C₆F₄–CNSSN (X = O₂N, α-NC, β-NC, Br), which has allowed us to explain their different magnetic behaviour (ferromagnetism, antiferromagnetism, paramagnetism, spin frustration, etc.). First, we have identified the magnetic exchange pathways considering those with distances between two atoms of different dithiadiazolyl rings shorter than 7 Å and those with an intermolecular distance between an atom of the heterocyclic ring and an atom in a neighbouring radical shorter than 4 Å. Second, the calculations have been carried out in the framework of the DFT Broken Symmetry. Following this procedure we have determined the magnitude and the sign of the relevant coupling constants for the X–C₆F₄–CNSSN (X = O₂N, α-NC, β-NC, Br) radicals. In the cases where the radicals order magnetically, ordering temperatures determined with our ab initio calculations agree very well with the experimental ones. Thus, in the case of the O₂N derivative ferromagnetic ordering is observed below 1.3 K, in very good agreement with an ordering temperature around 1.6 K predicted from our calculated exchange constants and using a mean field approximation.     

Ab initio investigation of structure and cohesive energy of crystalline urea

The structure and cohesive energy of crystalline urea have been investigated at the ab initio level of calculation. The performance of different Hamiltonians in dealing with a hydrogen-bonded molecular crystal as crystalline urea is assessed. Detailed calculations carried out by adopting both HF and some of the most popular DFT methods in solid-state chemistry are reported. Local, gradient-corrected, and hybrid functionals have been adopted: SVWN, PW91, PBE, B3LYP, and PBE0. First, a 6-31G(d,p) basis set has been adopted, and then the basis set dependence of computed results has been investigated at the B3LYP level. All calculations were carried out by using a development version of the periodic ab initio code CRYSTAL06, which allows full optimization of lattice parameters and atomic coordinates. With the 6-31G(d,p) basis set, structural features are well reproduced by hybrid methods and GGA. LDA gives lattice parameters and hydrogen-bond distances that are too small relative to experiment, while at the HF level the opposite trend is observed. Results show that hybrid methods are more accurate than HF and both LDA and GGA functionals, with a trend in the computed properties similar to that of hydrogen-bonded molecular complexes. When BSSE and ZPE are taken into account, all methods, except LDA, give computed cohesive energies that are underestimated with respect to the experimental sublimation enthalpy. Dispersion energy, not properly taken into account by DFT methods, plays a crucial role. Such a deficiency also affects dramatically the computed crystalline structure, especially when large basis sets are adopted. We show that this is an artifact due to the BSSE. Indeed, with small basis sets the BSSE gives an extra-binding that compensates for the missing dispersion forces, thus yielding structures in fortuitous agreement with experiment.     

Ab initio periodic study of the conformational behavior of glycine helical homopeptides

Representative helicoidal conformations of polyglycine infinite chains have been investigated by using periodic boundary conditions, the B3LYP hybrid functional, and large basis sets, by means of the CRYSTAL code. The exploitation of the helix roto‐translational symmetry permits to optimize at a relatively low cost the structure of systems whose unit cell contains more than 300 atoms, much larger than the one investigated till now. In the present calculations, the helix symmetry is exploited at three levels. First, for the automatic generation of the structure. Second, for the calculation of the one‐ and two‐electron integrals that enter into the Fock matrix definition. Only the irreducible wedge of the Fock matrix is computed. Finally, for the diagonalization of the Fock matrix, where each irreducible representation is separately treated. The efficiency and accuracy of the computational scheme are documented, by considering cells containing up to 47 glycine residues. Results are compared with previous calculations and available experimental data. The role of hydrogen bonding in stabilizing polyglycine conformers is also addressed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2010     

Ab initio investigation of the electronic structures of ternary germanides CeRhGe and CeIrGe

We present first results of ab initio computations within the density functional theory in order to study the differences in chemical bonding and the experimentally observed different magnetic behaviour of the orthorhombic, TiNiSi related ternary germanides CeRhGe (antiferromagnet) and CeIrGe (intermediate valence compound). The calculations reveal strong contributions of the cerium 4f states at the Fermi level. Ingoing from CeRhGe to CeIrGe stronger Ce–Ir versus Ce–Rh interactions are found.     

Ab initio studies of

Ab initio calculations of the [1,5]-H shift in (3Z)-penta-1,3-diene and other substituted pentadienes and heteroanalogues using the hybrid density functional Becke3LYP with the 6-31G basis set are presented. Electron-donating substituents, such as methoxy in (3Z)-3-methoxypenta-1,3-diene 1, or heteroatoms such as a nitrogen atom in (Z)-ethylidenevinylamine 2, (1Z)-buta-1,3-dienylamine 3, (2Z)-but-2-enylideneamine 4, (Z)-allylidenemethylamine 5, and methylene-(Z)-propenylamine 6 are introduced. The electron-withdrawing fluoride is substituted for the hydrogen atoms in (3Z)-3-fluoropenta-1,3-diene 7, (3Z)-2,4-difluoropenta-1,3-diene 8, (3Z)-1,1',2,3,4,5,5'-heptafluoropenta- 1,3-diene 10, (1E,3E)-1,3,5-trifluoropenta-1,3-diene 11, and (1Z,3E)-1,3,5- trifluoropenta-1,3-diene 13. A detailed analysis of the geometries, energies, and electronic characteristics of the sigmatropic transposition compared to those of the unsubstituted case provides insights into substituent effects of this prototype of pericyclic reaction. The inductive and mesomeric effects of heteroatoms or heterosubstituents are of a great importance and in a continuous balance in the energetics of the transformation. Sterics can also play an important role due to the geometrical constraints of the reaction. As a general trend, decreasing the electron density of the phi system destabilizes the aromatic transition structure and increases the activation energy, and vice versa.