Open-shell localized Hartree-Fock method based on the generalized adiabatic connection Kohn-Sham formalism for a self-consistent treatment of excited states

An effective exact-exchange Kohn-Sham approach for the treatment of excited electronic states, the generalized adiabatic connection open-shell localized Hartree-Fock (GAC-OSLHF) method is presented. The GAC-OSLHF method is based on the generalized adiabatic connection Kohn-Sham formalism and therefore capable of treating excited electronic states, which are not the energetically lowest of their symmetry. The method is self-interaction free and allows for a fully self-consistent computation of excited valence as well as Rydberg states. Results for atoms and small- and medium-size molecules are presented and compared to restricted open-shell Hartree-Fock (ROHF) and time-dependent density-functional results as well as to experimental data. While GAC-OSLHF and ROHF results are quite close to each other, the GAC-OSLHF method shows a much better convergence behavior. Moreover, the GAC-OSLHF method as a Kohn-Sham method, in contrast to the ROHF approach, represents a framework which allows also for a treatment of correlation besides an exchange by appropriate functionals. In contrast to the common time-dependent density-functional methods, the GAC-OSLHF approach is capable of treating doubly or multiply excited states and can be easily applied to molecules with an open-shell ground state. On the nodal planes of the energetically highest occupied orbital, the local multiplicative GAC-OSLHF exchange potential asymptotically approaches a different, i.e., nonzero, value than in other regions, an asymptotic behavior which is known from exact Kohn-Sham exchange potentials of ground states of molecules.     

MCSCF optimization through combined use of natural orbitals and the brillouin–levy–berthier theorem

A novel approach is developed for optimizing molecular orbitals within the context of a multiconfiguration self-consistent-field problem. The MCSCF wave function is determined through a sequence of eigenvalue problems in the multiconfiguration space and the single-excitation space. They are used to iteratively improve the natural orbitals, which in turn are related, by successively improved transformations, to the MCSCF orbitals. The mathematical problems arising out of this general concept are solved and the computational implementation is discussed. In many applications the method has proven itself as a powerful approach in forcing rapid convergence. Adaptation to spin and spatial symmetry is maintained throughout and the procedure is applicable to excited states as well as to ground states.     

The optimized-basis-set multiconfiguration spin-coupled method for the ab initio calculation of atomic and molecular electronic wave functions

An ab initio method for the calculation of atomic and molecular electronic wave functions is presented. The “Optimized-Basis-Set Multiconfiguration Spin-Coupled” (OBS –MCSC ) method may be viewed either as a multiconfiguration generalization of the spin-coupled approach or as a nonorthogonal variant of the MCSCF method. In addition, the OBS –MCSC method optimizes the basis-set exponential parameters simultaneously with all other variational parameters, through a second-derivative minimization procedure. Explicit analytic expressions for the required first and second derivatives of the energy with respect to all variational parameters are obtained. Test calculations prove the capability of the method to yield compact yet accurate electronic wave functions.© 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Performance of dynamically weighted multiconfiguration self-consistent field and spin-orbit coupling calculations of diatomic molecules of Group 14 elements

The efficacy of several multiconfiguration self-consistent field (MCSCF) methods in the subsequent spin-orbit coupling calculations was studied. Three MCSCF schemes to generate molecular orbitals were analyzed: state-specific, state-averaged, and dynamically weighted MCSCF. With Sn(2)(+) as the representative case, we show that the state-specific MCSCF orbitals lead to discontinuities in potential energy curves when avoided crossings of electronic states occur; this problem can be solved using the state-averaged or dynamically weighted MCSCF orbitals. The latter two schemes are found to give similar results when dynamic electron correlation is considered, which we calculated at the level of multiconfigurational quasidegenerate perturbation theory (MCQDPT). We employed the recently developed Douglas-Kroll spin-orbit adapted model core potential, ZFK3-DK3, and the dynamically weighted MCSCF scheme to calculate the spectroscopic constants of the mono-hydrides and compared them to the results obtained using the older set of potentials, MCP-TZP. We also showed that the MCQDPT tends to underestimate the dissociation energies of the hydrides and discussed to what extent coupled-cluster theory can be used to improve results.     

A multiconfigurational hybrid density-functional theory

We propose a multiconfigurational hybrid density-functional theory which rigorously combines a multiconfiguration self-consistent-field calculation with a density-functional approximation based on a linear decomposition of the electron-electron interaction. This gives a straightforward extension of the usual hybrid approximations by essentially adding a fraction λ of exact static correlation in addition to the fraction λ of exact exchange. Test calculations on the cycloaddition reactions of ozone with ethylene or acetylene and the dissociation of diatomic molecules with the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof and Becke-Lee-Yang-Parr density functionals show that a good value of λ is 0.25, as in the usual hybrid approximations. The results suggest that the proposed multiconfigurational hybrid approximations can improve over usual density-functional calculations for situations with strong static correlation effects.     

Time-dependent approach to electronically excited states of molecules with the multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree-Fock method

In this paper the authors show how the multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree-Fock (MCTDHF) method can be used for the calculation of electronic properties of molecules associated with the population of excited states. In contrast to other methods for correlated electron dynamics, such as configuration interaction, MCTDHF does not rely on a solution of the electronic Schrodinger equation prior to the propagation. The authors apply this approach to the calculation of vertical excitation energies, transition dipole moments, and oscillator strengths for two test molecules, lithium hydride and methane.     

The generalized active space concept for the relativistic treatment of electron correlation. III. Large-scale configuration interaction and multiconfiguration self-consistent-field four-component methods with application to UO2

We present an implementation for large-scale relativistic electronic structure calculations including spin-dependent contributions and electron correlation in a fully variational procedure. The modular implementation of the double group configuration interaction (CI) program into a multiconfiguration self-consistent-field (MCSCF) code allows for the treatment of large CI expansions in both the spinor optimization step and the post-MCSCF dynamic electron correlation step. As an illustration of the potential of the new code, we calculate the spectroscopic properties of the UO2 molecule where we study the ground state and a few excited states in vertical and adiabatic calculations.     

Generalized-molecular-orbital theory: Simple multiconfiguration self-consistent-field method

Even after completing a multiconfiguration self-consistent-field (MCSCF ) calculation, one must often include additional configuration interaction (CI ) to obtain quantitative or semiquantitative results. There is some question of whether the prior MCSCF calculation is worthwhile, if additional CI is needed later. We have developed a new MCSCF computational method, which, because of our assumptions about the nature of the configurations, yields one Fock-like operator for all the “filled” orbitals (high occupation numbers) and a second Fock-like operator for all the “virtual” orbitals (low occupation numbers). Since there are only two matrices to build, our method is considerably faster than other MCSCF approaches. Because of these similarities to standard molecular-orbital (MO ) calculations, we have termed our approach generalized-molecular-orbital (GMO ) theory. However, the “virtual” orbitals, unlike those of standard MO theory, are optimized to correlate the “filled” ones and can he used in a subsequent CI calculation. Results are presented for the correlation energy of H₂O, the spectroscopic constants of N₂, the singlet–triplet energy separations in CH₂, and the nature of the chromium–chromium quadruple bond. Although these results are at a very low level of CI , the GMO approach appears to correct for the gross deficiencies of the single-determinant SCF procedure.     

The multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree-Fock method for quantum chemical calculations

We apply the multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree-Fock method to electronic structure calculations and show that quantum chemical information can be obtained with this explicitly time-dependent approach. Different equations of motion are discussed, as well as the numerical cost. The two-electron integrals are calculated using a natural potential expansion, of which we describe the convergence behavior in detail.     

Theoretical study of some bis-verdazyl diradicals: singlet–triplet energy gap

The bis-verdazyl diradical (BVD) system is closely examined by using the multiconfiguration wavefunctions as well as the density functional theory (DFT). The totally symmetric singlet ground state turns out to have strong multiconfiguration character at all levels of theory. The singlet ground state takes on the planar structure while the most stable triplet state corresponds to the twisted form. The MCSCF+MCQDPT2 calculations are shown to be sufficient to predict the singlet–triplet energy gap which is insensitive to the electronic characters of the ring substituents.     

On the SCF calculation of excited states: Singlet states in the two-electron problem

The problem of determining SCF wave functions for excited electronic states is examined for singlet states of two-electron systems using a Lowdin natural orbital transformation of the full CI wave function. This analysis facilitates the comparison of various SCF methods with one another. The distribution of the full CI states among the natural orbital MCSCF states is obtained for the S states of helium using a modest Gaussian basis set. For SCF methods that are not equivalent to the full CI wave functions, it is shown that the Hartree-Fock plus all single excitation wave functions are equivalent to that of Hartree-Fock plus one single excitation. It is further shown that these wave functions are equivalent to the perfect pair or TCSCF wave functions in which the CI expansion coefficients are restricted to have opposite signs. The case of the natural orbital MCSCF wave function for two orbitals is examined in greater detail. It is shown that the first excited state must always be found on the lower natural orbital MCSCF CI root, thus precluding the use of the Hylleras-Undeim-MacDonald (HUM) theorem in locating this state. It is finally demonstrated that the solution obtained by applying the HUM theorem (minimizing the upper MCSCF CI root with respect to orbital mixing parameters) is an artifact of the MCSCF method and does not correspond to any of the full CI states.     

Correlated geminal wave function for molecules: an efficient resonating valence bond approach

We show that a simple correlated wave function, obtained by applying a Jastrow correlation term to an antisymmetrized geminal power, based upon singlet pairs between electrons, is particularly suited for describing the electronic structure of molecules, yielding a large amount of the correlation energy. The remarkable feature of this approach is that, in principle, several resonating valence bonds can be dealt simultaneously with a single determinant, at a computational cost growing with the number of electrons similar to more conventional methods, such as Hartree-Fock or density functional theory. Moreover we describe an extension of the stochastic reconfiguration method, which was recently introduced for the energy minimization of simple atomic wave functions. Within this extension the atomic positions can be considered as further variational parameters, which can be optimized together with the remaining ones. The method is applied to several molecules from Li(2) to benzene by obtaining total energies, bond lengths and binding energies comparable with much more demanding multiconfiguration schemes.     

Gauge-origin-independent magnetizabilities of solvated molecules using the polarizable continuum model

We present an implementation of the polarizable continuum model in its integral equation formulation for the calculation of the magnetizabilities of solvated molecules. The gauge-origin independence of the calculated magnetizabilities and the fast basis set convergence are ensured through the use of London atomic orbitals. Our implementation can use Hartree-Fock and multiconfigurational self-consistent-field (MCSCF) wave functions as well as density-functional theory including hybrid functionals such as B3LYP. We present the results of dielectric continuum effects on water and pyridine using MCSCF wave functions, as well as dielectric medium effects on the magnetizability of the aromatic amino acids as a model for how a surrounding protein environment affects the magnetizability of these molecules. It is demonstrated that the dielectric medium effects on the magnetizability anisotropies of the aromatic amino acids may be substantial, being as large as 25% in the case of tyrosine.     

Pathway analysis of super-exchange electronic couplings in electron transfer reactions using a multi-configuration self-consistent field method

We present a novel pathway analysis of super-exchange electronic couplings in electron transfer reactions using localized molecular orbitals from multi-configuration self-consistent field (MCSCF) calculations. In our analysis, the electronic coupling and the tunneling pathways can be calculated in terms of the configuration interaction (CI) Hamiltonian matrix obtained from the localized MCSCF wave function. Making use of the occupation restricted multiple active spaces (ORMAS) method can effectively produce the donor, acceptor, and intermediate configuration state functions (CSFs) and CIs among these CSFs. In order to express the electronic coupling as a sum of individual tunneling pathways contributions, we employed two perturbative methods: L?wdin projection-iteration method and higher-order super-exchange method. We applied them to anion couplings of butane-1,4-diyl and pentane-1,5-diyl. The results were (1) the electronic couplings calculated from the two perturbative methods were in reasonable agreement with those from a non-perturbative method (one-half value of the energy difference between the ground and first excited states), (2) the main tunneling pathways consisted of a small number of lower-order super-exchange pathways where bonding, anti-bonding, or extra-valence-shell orbitals were used once or twice, and (3) the interference among a huge number of higher-order super-exchange pathways significantly contributed to the overall electronic coupling, whereas each of them contributed only fractionally. Our method can adequately take into account both effects of non-dynamical electron correlation and orbital relaxation. Comparing with the analyses based on the Koopmans' theorem (ignoring both effects) and the ORMAS-CIs from frozen localized reference orbitals (ignoring the effect of orbital relaxation), we discuss these effects.     

Multiconfiguration self-consistent-field theory based upon the fragment molecular orbital method

The fragment molecular orbital (FMO) method was combined with the multiconfiguration self-consistent-field (MCSCF) theory. One- and two-layer approaches were developed, the former involving all dimer MCSCF calculations and the latter limiting MCSCF calculations to a small part of the system. The accuracy of the two methods was tested using the six electrons in six orbitals complete active space type of MCSCF and singlet spin state for phenol+(H(2)O)(n), n=16,32,64 (6-31G( *) and 6-311G( *) basis sets); alpha helices and beta strands of phenylalanine-(alanine)(n), n=4,8,16 (6-31G( *)). Both double-zeta and triple-zeta quality basis sets with polarization were found to have very similar accuracy. The error in the correlation energy was at most 0.000 88 a.u., the error in the gradient of the correlation energy was at most 6.x10(-5) a.u./bohr and the error in the correlation correction to the dipole moment was at most 0.018 D. In addition, vertical singlet-triplet electron excitation energies were computed for phenol+(H(2)O)(n), (n=16,32,64), 6-31G( *), and the errors were found to be at most 0.02 eV. Approximately linear scaling was observed for the FMO-based MCSCF methods. As an example, an FMO-based MCSCF calculation with 1262 basis functions took 98 min on one 3.0 GHz Pentium4 node with 1 Gbyte RAM.     

On the computation of excited states with MCSCF methods

We discuss the theoretical and practical problems arising when trying to compute excited states of nonrelativistic electrons in a molecular system, by multiconfiguration (MCSCF) methods. These nonlinear models approximate the linear Schrödinger theory and are a generalization of the well-known Hartree–Fock approach. Due to the MCSCF nonlinearity, a theoretical definition of what should be a MCSCF excited state is not clear at all, contrarily to the ground state case. We compare various definitions used in Quantum Chemistry. We in particular stress that some defects may lead to important computational problems, already observed in Quantum Chemistry (root flipping). We then present a definition of MCSCF excited states based on a solid mathematical ground and compare it with the most used methods. This new definition leads to a completely new algorithm for computing the first excited state, which was proposed and tested in a collaboration with Cancès and Galicher. Numerical results are provided for the simple case of two-electron systems, as an illustration of the possible issues which can arise as consequences of the nonlinearity of the MCSCF method.     

Time-dependent density-functional theory calculations of triplet-triplet absorption

We present density-functional theory calculations of triplet-triplet absorption by three different approaches based on time-dependent density-functional theory (DFT): unrestricted DFT linear response, open-shell restricted DFT linear response applied to the triplet state, and quadratic response with triplet excitations applied to the ground state. Comparison is also made with corresponding results obtained by Hartree-Fock and multiconfiguration self-consistent-field response theory. Two main conclusions concerning triplet-triplet transitions are drawn in this study: First, the very good agreement between unrestricted and restricted DFT results indicates that spin contamination of the triplet state is not a serious problem when computing triplet-triplet spectra of common organic molecules. Second, DFT response calculations of triplet-triplet transitions can be affected by triplet instability problems, especially for the combination of DFT quadratic response with functionals containing fractional exact Hartree-Fock exchange.     

Density-functional theory (hyper)polarizabilities of push-pull pi-conjugated systems: treatment of exact exchange and role of correlation

The performance of the optimized effective potential procedure for exact exchange in calculating static electric-field response properties of push-pull pi-conjugated systems has been studied, with an emphasis on NO2-(CH=CH)n-NH2 chains. Good agreement with Hartree-Fock dipole moments and (hyper)polarizabilities is obtained; particularly noteworthy is the chain length dependence for beta/n. Thus, the problem that conventional density-functional theory functionals dramatically overestimate these properties is largely solved, although there remains a significant correlation contribution that cannot be accounted for with current correlation functionals.     

Generalization of the Optimized-Basis-Set Multi-Configuration Spin-Coupled method for the ab initio calculation of atomic and molecular electronic wave functions

An ab initio procedure for the calculation of atomic and molecular electronic wave functions, the Optimized-Basis-Set Multi-Configuration Spin-Coupled (OBS-MCSC) method, is generalized by introducing a separate linear combination of spin functions for each configuration, turning it into the OBS-GMCSC method. The ability to use a second-order minimization procedure in the computation of the wave function is maintained through appropriate generalization of the analytic expressions for the first and second derivatives of the energy with respect to the optimization parameters, as is the optional inclusion among the latter of the basis-function exponential parameters. The generalization, a variational improvement of the wave function, strengthens the connection with classical VB theory, of which the method can now be considered an optimized-orbitals variant, while maintaining the link with single-configuration Spin-Coupled theory, of which it may still be considered a multiconfiguration extension. The method can also be viewed as a nonorthogonal variant of the MCSCF approach. To demonstrate its practical feasibility and usefulness, the OBS-GMCSC method is applied to a study of the electronic structure and electron affinity of boron. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

On the lowest electronic states of the C2F radical

The adiabatic energy surfaces of the lowest three electronic states [²(²A′ and ²A′)] and ²Σ⁺[²A′] of the C₂F radical were investigated by the Hartree-Fock multiconfiguration self-consistent field (HF—MCSCF) ab initio method using a large set of atomic natural orbitals (ANO) and an extended configuration space, and the results were shown to be in agreement with the predictions of valence theory for this radical. The electronic ground state was found to have a bent equilibrium structure, hence contradicting the Walsh rule which predicts for the isoelectronic molecules a ² linear state. The three states were found to be nearly degenerate and the potential energy surfaces of the two lowest electronic states exhibit an avoided crossing at an energy ∼2000 cm⁻¹ above the ground-state minimum, lower than the highest vibrational fundamental. The strong adiabatic interaction which is responsible for the ordering of the electronic states and their equilibrium geometry involves not only the bending coordinate as normally found for Renner-Teller pairs of states, but also the C—C stretching coordinate, due to the near degeneracy of the ²Σ⁺ and the ² lowest electronic states at linear geometries. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.