Conformationally averaged vertical detachment energy of finite size NO3(-)·nH2O clusters: a route connecting few to many

We report conformationally averaged VDEs (VDE(w)(n)) for different sizes of NO(3)(-)·nH(2)O clusters calculated by using uncorrelated HF, correlated hybrid density functional (B3LYP, BHHLYP) and correlated ab intio (MP2 and CCSD(T)) theory. It is observed that the VDE(w)(n) at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p), B3LYP/Aug-cc-Pvtz and CCSD(T)/6-311++G(d,p) levels is very close to the experimentally measured VDE. It is shown that the use of calculated results of the conformationally averaged VDE for small-sized solvated negatively-charged clusters and a microscopic theory-based general expression for the same provides a route to obtain the VDE for a wide range of cluster sizes, including bulk.     

Singly and doubly lithium doped silicon clusters: geometrical and electronic structures and ionization energies

The geometric structures of neutral and cationic Si(n)Li(m)(0/+) clusters with n = 2-11 and m = 1, 2 are investigated using combined experimental and computational methods. The adiabatic ionization energy and vertical ionization energy (VIE) of Si(n)Li(m) clusters are determined using quantum chemical methods (B3LYP/6-311+G(d), G3B3, and CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVxZ with x = D,T), whereas experimental values are derived from threshold photoionization experiments in the 4.68-6.24 eV range. Among the investigated cluster sizes, only Si(6)Li(2), Si(7)Li, Si(10)Li, and Si(11)Li have ionization thresholds below 6.24 eV and could be measured accurately. The ionization threshold and VIE obtained from the experimental photoionization efficiency curves agree well with the computed values. The growth mechanism of the lithium doped silicon clusters follows some simple rules: (1) neutral singly doped Si(n)Li clusters favor the Li atom addition on an edge or a face of the structure of the corresponding Si(n)(-) anion, while the cationic Si(n)Li(+) binds with one Si atom of the bare Si(n) cluster or adds on one of its edges, and (2) for doubly doped Si(n)Li(2)(0/+) clusters, the neutrals have the shape of the Si(n+1) counterparts with an additional Li atom added on an edge or a face of it, while the cations have both Li atoms added on edges or faces of the Si(n)(-) clusters.     

The permanent dipole moment of gas-phase para-amino benzoic acid revisited

The permanent dipole moment of para-amino benzoic acid has been calculated at various theoretical levels, including Hartree-Fock, second-order M?ller-Plesset perturbation (MP2), coupled cluster singles and doubles (CCSD), and triples corrections CCSD(T), and hybrid density functional theory at B3LYP level. It is found that the B3LYP method fails to provide correct results for the geometry and the permanent dipole moment. These results are significantly improved by MP2 calculations. Our best estimated dipole moments obtained at CCSD and CCSD(T) levels are in good agreement with experiment.     

Structures and stability of B-doped Al clusters: AlnB and AlnB2 (n=1-7)

Various structural possibilities for Al(n)B(m) (n=1-7, m=1-2) neutral isomers were investigated using B3LYP6-311G(d) and CCSD(T)6-311G(d) methods. Our calculations predicted the existence of a number of previously unknown isomers. The B atom favors to locate over/inside of all clusters in this series. All structures of the Al(n)B (n=2-7) may be derived from capping/putting a B atom over/inside the Al(n) cluster. All Al(n)B(2) (n=1-5) may be understood as two substitutions of Al atoms by B atoms in the Al(n+2) molecule. The strong B-B bond is a dominant factor in the building-up principle of mixed Al(n)B(2) neutral clusters. The second difference in energy showed that the Al(n)B(m) clusters with even n+m are more stable than those with odd n+m. Our results and analyses revealed that the mixed Al-B clusters exhibit aromatic behaviors.     

Accurate ab initio binding energies of alkaline earth metal clusters

The effects of basis set superposition error (BSSE) and core-correlation on the electronic binding energies of alkaline earth metal clusters Y(n) (Y = Be, Mg, Ca; n = 2-4) at the Moller-Plesset second-order perturbation theory (MP2) and the single and double coupled cluster method with perturbative triples correction (CCSD(T)) levels are examined using the correlation consistent basis sets cc-pVXZ and cc-pCVXZ (X = D, T, Q, 5). It is found that, while BSSE has a negligible effect for valence-electron-only-correlated calculations for most basis sets, its magnitude becomes more pronounced for all-electron-correlated calculations, including core electrons. By utilizing the negligible effect of BSSE on the binding energies for valence-electron-only-correlated calculations, in combination with the negligible core-correlation effect at the CCSD(T) level, accurate binding energies of these clusters up to pentamers (octamers in the case of the Be clusters) are estimated via the basis set extrapolation of ab initio CCSD(T) correlation energies of the monomer and cluster with only the cc-pVDZ and cc-pVTZ sets, using the basis set and correlation-dependent extrapolation formula recently devised. A comparison between the CCSD(T) and density functional theory (DFT) binding energies is made to identify the most appropriate DFT method for the study of these clusters.     

Studies on the structure, stability, and spectral signatures of hydride ion-water clusters

The gas-phase structure, stability, spectra, and electron density topography of H(-)W(n) clusters (where n = 1-8) have been calculated using coupled-cluster CCSD(T) and M?ller-Plesset second-order perturbation (MP2) theory combined with complete basis set (CBS) approaches. The performance of various density functional theory (DFT) based methods such as B3LYP, M05-2X, M06, M06-L, and M06-2X using 6-311++G(d,p), and aug-cc-pVXZ (aVXZ, where X = D, T, and Q) basis sets has also been assessed by considering values calculated using CCSD(T)/CBS limit as reference. The performance of the functionals has been ranked based on the mean signed/unsigned error. The comparison of geometrical parameters elicits that the geometrical parameters predicted by B3LYP/aVTZ method are in good agreement with those values obtained at MP2/aVTZ level of theory. Results show that M05-2X functional outperform other functionals in predicting the energetics when compared to CCSD(T)/CBS value. On the other hand, values predicted by M06-2X, and M06 methods, are closer to those values obtained from MP2/CBS approach. It is evident from the calculations that H(-)W(n) (where n = 5-8) clusters adopt several interesting structural motifs such as pyramidal, prism, book, Clessidra, cubic, cage, and bag. The important role played by ion-water (O-H···H(-)) and water-water (O-H···O) interactions in determining the stability of the clusters has also been observed. Analysis of the results indicates that the most stable cluster is made up of minimum number of O-H···H(-) interaction in conjugation with the maximum number of O-H···O interactions. The Bader theory of atoms in molecules (AIM) and natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses has also been carried out to characterize the nature of interactions between hydride ion and water molecules. It can be observed from the vibrational spectra of H(-)W(n) clusters, the stretching frequencies involving ion-water interaction always exhibit larger redshift and intensities than that of water-water (inter solvent) interactions.     

Comprehensive study on the solvation of mono- and divalent metal cations: Li+, Na+, K+, Be2+, Mg2+ and Ca2+

Hydration of mono- and divalent metal ions (Li(+), Na(+), K(+), Be(2+), Mg(2+) and Ca(2+)) has been studied using the DFT (B3LYP), second-order M?ller-Plesset (MP2) and CCSD(T) perturbation theory as well as the G3 quantum chemical methods. Double-zeta and triple-zeta basis sets containing both (multiple) polarization and diffuse functions were applied. Total and sequential binding energies are evaluated for all metal-water clusters containing 1-6 water molecules. Total binding energies predicted at lower levels of theory are compared with those from the high level G3 calculations, whereas the sequential binding energies are compared with available experimental values. An increase in the quality of the basis set from double-zeta to triple-zeta has a significant effect on the sequential binding energies, irrespective of the geometries used. Within the same group (I or II), the sequential binding energy predictions at the MP2 and B3LYP vary appreciably. We noticed that, for each addition of a water molecule, the change of the M-O distance in metal-water clusters is higher at the B3LYP than at the MP2 level. The charge of the metal ion decreases monotonically as the number of water molecules increase in the complex.     

The electronic structure and energetics of V(+)-benzene half-sandwiches of different multiplicities: Comparative multireference and single-reference theoretical study

Multireference [complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and multiconfigurational quasidegenerate perturbation theory (MCQDPT)] and single-reference ab initio (Moller-Plesset second order perturbation theory (MP2) and coupled clusters with singles, doubles and noniterative triples [CCSD(T)]) and density functional theory (PBE and B3LYP) electronic structure calculations of V(C(6)H(6))(+) half-sandwich in the states of different multiplicities are described and compared. Detailed analyses of the geometries and electronic structures of the all found states are given; adiabatic and diabatic dissociation energies are estimated. The lowest electronic state of V(C(6)H(6))(+) half-sandwich was found to be the quintet (5)B(2) state with a slightly deformed upside-down-boat-shaped benzene ring and d(4) configuration of V atom, followed by a triplet (3)A(2) state lying about 4 kcal/mol above. The lowest singlet state (1)A(1)(d(4)) lies much ( approximately 28 kcal/mol) higher. MCQDPT calculated adiabatic dissociation energy (53.6 kcal/mol) for the lowest (5)B(2)(d(4)) state agrees well with the current 56.4 (54.4) kcal/mol experimental estimate, giving a preference to the lower one. Compared to MCQDPT, B3LYP hybrid exchange-correlation functional provides the best results, while CCSD(T) performs usually worse. Gradient-corrected PBE calculations tend to systematically overestimate metal-benzene binding in the row quintet相似文献   

Pi and sigma-phenylethynyl radicals and their isomers o-, m-, and p-ethynylphenyl: structures, energetics, and electron affinities

Molecular structures, energetics, vibrational frequencies, and electron affinities are predicted for the phenylethynyl radical and its isomers. Electron affinities are computed using density functional theory, -namely, the BHLYP, BLYP, B3LYP, BP86, BPW91, and B3PW91 functionals-, employing the double-zeta plus polarization DZP++ basis set; this level of theory is known to perform well for the computation of electron affinities. Furthermore, ab initio computations employing perturbation theory, coupled cluster with single and double excitations [CCSD], and the inclusion of perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] are performed to determine the relative energies of the isomers. These higher level computations are performed with the correlation consistent family of basis sets cc-pVXZ (X = D, T, Q, 5). Three electronic states are probed for the phenylethynyl radical. In C2v symmetry, the out-of-plane (2B1) radical is predicted to lie about 10 kcal/mol below the in-plane (2B2) radical by DFT methods, which becomes 9.4 kcal/mol with the consideration of the CCSD(T) method. The energy difference between the lowest pi and sigma electronic states of the phenylethynyl radical is also about 10 kcal/mol according to DFT; however, CCSD(T) with the cc-pVQZ basis set shows this energy separation to be just 1.8 kcal/mol. The theoretical electron affinities of the phenylethynyl radical are predicted to be 3.00 eV (B3LYP/DZP++) and 3.03 eV (CCSD(T)/DZP++//MP2/DZP++). The adiabatic electron affinities (EAad) of the three isomers of phenylethynyl, that is, the ortho-, meta-, and para-ethynylphenyl, are predicted to be 1.45, 1.40, and 1.43 eV, respectively. Hence, the phenylethynyl radical binds an electron far more effectively than the three other radicals studied. Thermochemical predictions, such as the bond dissociation energies of the aromatic and ethynyl C-H bonds and the proton affinities of the phenylethynyl and ethynylphenyl anions, are also reported.     

Theoretical study of light-metal tetrahydroaluminates

Ab initio calculations of the structural, energetic, vibrational, and magnetic characteristics of the lowest-lying structures for isolated molecules and ions of light-metal tetrahydroaluminates (Li, Na, Be, Mg, and Al) have been performed by the perturbation theory (MP2), quadratic configuration interaction (QCISD(T)), coupled cluster (CCSD(T)), and density functional theory (B3LYP) methods using the 6-31G*, 6-31G**, 6-311+G**, and 6-311++G** basis sets. The trends in the behavior of the molecular characteristics have been analyzed in various related series of these compounds. The results are compared with the data on analogous light-metal tetrahydroborates calculated at the same levels of theory. The differences in structure and stability between analogous hydroborate and alanate complexes are examined. The economical approximation B3LYP/6-311++G**//B3LYP/6-311+G** has been shown to adequately reproduce the results obtained at the higher level of theory CCSD(T)/6-311++G**//MP2/6-31G* even though it requires considerably shorter CPU times and smaller amounts of memory.     

Theoretical study of light-metal tetrahydroborates

Ab initio calculations of the structural, energetic, vibrational, and magnetic characteristics of the lowest-lying structures for isolated molecules and ions of light-metal tetrahydroborates (Li, Na, Be, Mg, and Al) have been performed by the perturbation theory (MP2), quadratic configuration interaction (QCISD(T)), coupled cluster (CCSD(T)), and density functional theory (B3LYP) methods using the 6-31G*, 6-31G**, 6-311+G**, and 6-311++G** basis sets. The trends in the behavior of the structural parameters, the energies of different decomposition pathways, barriers to internal rotation of BH₄ groups, normal mode frequencies, magnetic shielding constants, and spin density distribution (in radicals) have been analyzed in various related series of these compounds. The results obtained by ab initio methods and at the DFT level are compared. The economical approximation B3LYP/6-311++G**//B3LYP/6-311+G** adequately reproduces the results obtained at the higher level of theory CCSD(T)/6-311++G*s*//MP2/6-31G* even though it requires considerably shorter CPU times and smaller amounts of memory.     

O原子与HNCO反应机理的量子化学及电子密度拓扑研究

采用MP2(Full),B3LYP,QCISD/MP2和CCSD(T)/MP2方法在6-311G(d,p)水平上对O原子与HNCO反应的微观机理进行了理论研究．采用MP2(Full)和B3LYP对反应位能面上的各驻点进行几何构型的全优化,振动分析和IRC计算证实了中间体和过渡态的真实性和相互连接关系．四种方法计算得到了四个反应通道的反应活化能．研究表明,O原子进攻HNCO中的H原子为反应的主要反应通道,该通道中形成了两个分子复合物,电子密度拓扑分析表明这两个分子复合物均为氢键复合物．     

Peculiar basis set dependence of the energetics of C2S2H2 isomers. In search of adequate and affordable basis set for routine calculations

Quantum mechanical calculations using the Hartree-Fock (HF), post-Hartree-Fock {MP2 and CCSD(T)}and gradient-corrected hybrid density functional variant, B3LYP methodology in conjugation with basis sets like 6-31G*, 6-311G** and cc-pVTZ, were employed to critically probe the right quality of basis set and the appropriate level of theory that can be applied in modeling the organo-sulfur compounds. The relative stability ordering of 1,2-dithiete and dithioglyoxal reveal the delicate basis set dependence especially on ‘S’ atom. Single point calculations at the B3LYP, MP2 and CCSD(T) levels using a series of basis set ranging from double ζ quality all the way up to the quintuple ζ quality were done to illustrate the effect of electron correlation and the basis set dependency for these compounds. Basis set requirements are much higher than affordable for medium sized molecules as very slow convergence is seen even when the calculations are carried out with basis set as high as cc-pV5Z at the B3LYP and MP2 level of theories.     

A coupled-cluster study of the structure and vibrational spectra of pyrazole and imidazole

Harmonic force fields were calculated at the corresponding optimized geometries for pyrazole and imidazole at the HF, B3LYP, MP2, CCSD and CCSD(T) levels using the 6-31G* basis set and at the HF and B3LYP levels using the cc-pVTZ basis set. The agreement between the calculated and experimental geometries by the CCSD and CCSD(T) methods was generally similar to that obtained with the B3LYP and MP2 methods. The force fields were scaled using one-scale-factor (1SF), 3SF and 7SF scaling schemes. The scale factors were varied with respect to the experimental frequencies. Using 7SF scaling, the root-mean-square (RMS) deviation of the calculated frequencies from the experimental frequencies by the HF, B3LYP, MP2, CCSD and CCSD(T) methods and the 6-31G* basis set was 16, 7, 13, 11 and 11 cm(-1), respectively. This shows that the B3LYP method is preferred for force field calculations over the perturbative MP2, CCSD and CCSD(T) methods. Using 1SF scaling, the CCSD(T) scale factor was 0.931, the highest among the five methods used but close to that obtained with the B3LYP method and the cc-pVTZ basis set with lower RMS deviation.     

Electronic structure and thermochemical properties of small neutral and cationic lithium clusters and boron-doped lithium clusters: Li(n)(0/+) and Li(n)B(0/+) (n = 1-8)

The stability, electronic structure, and thermochemical properties of the pure Li(n) and boron-doped Li(n)B (n = 1-8) clusters in both neutral and cationic states are studied using electronic structure methods. The global equilibrium structures are established, and their heats of formation are evaluated using the G3B3 and CCSD(T)/CBS methods based on the density functional theory geometries. Theoretical adiabatic ionization energies (IE(a)) for the Li(n) clusters are in good agreement with experiment: Li(2) (G3B3, 5.21 eV; CCSD(T), 5.14 eV; expt, 5.1127 ± 0.0003 eV), Li(3) (4.16, 4.11, 4.08 ± 0.10), Li(4) (4.76, 4.68, 4.70 ± 0.05), Li(5) (4.11, 4.06, 4.02 ± 0.10), Li(6) (4.46, 4.32, 4.20 ± 0.10), Li(7) (4.07, 3.99, 3.94 ± 0.10), and Li(8) (4.49, 4.31, 4.16 ± 0.10). The Li(4) experimental IE(a) has been revised on the basis of the Franck-Condon simulations. Species Li(5)B, Li(6)B(+), Li(7)B, and Li(8)B(+) exhibit high stability as compared to their neighbors, which can be understood by considering the magic numbers of the phenomenological shell model (PSM).     

Stochastic search of the quantum conformational space of small lithium and bimetallic lithium-sodium clusters

In this paper we report the results obtained by an implementation and application of the simulated annealing optimization procedure to the exploration of the conformational space of small neutral and charged lithium clusters (Li(n)(q), n = 5, 6, 7; q = 0, +/-1) and of the bimetallic lithium/sodium clusters (Li5Na) in their lowest spin states. Our methodology eliminates the structure guessing procedure in the process of generating cluster configurations. We evaluate the quantum energy, typically with the Hartree-Fock Hamiltonian, of randomly generated points in the conformational space and use a modified Metropolis test in the annealing algorithm to generate candidate structures for atomic clusters. The structures are further optimized by analytical methods (gradient following) at the M?ller-Plesset second order perturbation theory level (MP2), in conjunction with basis sets including polarization functions with and without diffuse functions. High accuracy ab initio energies at the coupled clusters level, with single, double, and triple substitutions from the Hartree-Fock determinant (CCSD(T)), on the MP2 geometries were calculated and used to establish the relative stability of the isomers within each potential energy surface. Various cluster properties were computed and compared to existing values in order to validate our methods. Our results show excellent agreement with previous experimental and theoretical reports. Even at these small sizes, evidence for 10 new structures never reported before for the lithium clusters and four new structures for the bimetallic clusters is presented.     

Electron affinities of uracil: microsolvation effects and polarizable continuum model

We present adiabatic electron affinities (AEAs) and the vertical detachment energies (VDEs) of the uracil molecule interacting with one to five water molecules. Credibility of MP2 and DFT/B3LYP calculations is supported by comparison with available benchmark CCSD(T) data. AEAs and VDEs obtained by MP2 and DFT/B3LYP methods copy trends of benchmark CCSD(T) results for the free uracil and uracil-water complexes in the gas phase being by 0.20 - 0.28 eV higher than CCSD(T) values depending on the particular structure of the complex. AEAs and VDEs from MP2 are underestimated by 0.09-0.15 eV. For the free uracil and uracil-(H(2)O)(n) (n = 1,2,3,5) complexes, we also consider the polarizable continuum model (PCM) and discuss the importance of the microsolvation when combined with PCM. AEAs and VDEs of uracil and uracil-water complexes enhance rapidly with increasing relative dielectric constant (ε) of the solvent. Highest AEAs and VDEs of the U(H(2)O)(5) complexes from B3LYP with ε = 78.4 are 2.03 and 2.81 eV, respectively, utilizing the correction from CCSD(T). Specific structural features of the microsolvated uracil-(H(2)O)(n) complexes and their anions are preserved also upon considering PCM in calculations of AEAs and VDEs.     

Binding energies of small lithium clusters (Li(n)) and hydrogenated lithium clusters (Li(n)H)

Large coupled cluster computations utilizing the Dunning weighted correlation-consistent polarized core-valence (cc-pwCVXZ) hierarchy of basis sets have been conducted, resulting in a panoply of internally consistent geometries and atomization energies for small Li(n) and Li(n)H (n=1-4) clusters. In contrast to previous ab initio results, we predict a monotonic increase in atomization energies per atom with increasing cluster size for lithium clusters, in accordance with the historical Knudsen-effusion measurements of Wu. For hydrogenated lithium clusters, our results support previous theoretical work concerning the relatively low atomization energy per atom for Li(2)H compared to LiH and Li(3)H. The CCSD(T)/cc-pwCVQZ atomization energies for LiH, Li(2)H, Li(3)H, and the most stable isomer of Li(4)H, including zero-point energy corrections, are 55.7, 79.6, 113.0, and 130.6 kcal/mol, respectively. The latter results are not consistent with the most recent experiments of Wu.