J. M. García de la Vega

Polarized basis sets of Slater‐type orbitals: H to Ne atoms

We present three Slater‐type atomic orbital (STO) valence basis (VB) sets for the first and second row atoms, referred to as the VB1, VB2, and VB3 bases. The smallest VB1 basis has the following structure: [3, 1] for the H and He atoms, [5, 1] for Li and Be, and [5, 3, 1] for the B to Ne series. For the VB2 and VB3 bases, both the number of shells and the number of functions per shell are successively increased by one with respect to VB1. With the exception of the H and Li atoms, the exponents for the VB1 bases were obtained by minimizing the sum of the Hartree–Fock (HF) and frozen‐core singles and doubles configuration interaction (CISD FC) energies of the respective atoms in their ground state. For H and Li, we minimized the sum of the HF and CISD FC energies of the corresponding diatoms (i.e., of H2 or Li2) plus the ground‐state energy of the atom. In the case of the VB2 basis sets, the sum that was minimized also included the energies of the positive and negative ions, and for the VB3 bases, the energies of a few lowest lying excited states of the atom. To account for the core correlations, the VBx (x = 1, 2, and 3) basis sets for the Li to Ne series were enlarged by one function per shell. The exponents of these extended (core‐valence, CV) basis sets, referred to, respectively, as the CVBx (x = 1, 2, and 3) bases, were optimized by relying on the same criteria as in the case of the VBx (x = 1, 2, and 3) bases, except that the full CISD rather than CISD FC energies were employed. We show that these polarized STO basis sets provide good HF and CI energies for the ground and excited states of the atoms considered, as well as for the corresponding ions.

A theoretical study of subphthalocyanine and its nitro- and tertbutyl-derivatives ☆

Abstract The unsubstitute subphthalocyanine (SubPc) and their tertbutyl- (tertbutyl-SubPc) and nitro-(nitro-SubPc) derivatives have been theoretically studied at Hartree–Fock (HF) and Density Functional Theory (DFT) levels using STO-3G and 6-31G basis sets. The geometric optimization of the molecules was carried out. The calculated geometry for SubPc agrees with experimental X-ray data. No significant geometrical changes with respect to SubPc were observed in the tertbutyl-SubPc and nitro-SubPc macrocycles. B–Cl distance systematically changes with the electron donor/acceptor properties of the peripheral substituents. The calculated dipole moments reproduce very well the experimental values, whereas the atomic charges reveal the polar character of the SubPc macrocycle. An extensive study of some frontier orbitals was performed. The present calculations reproduce the breakdown of Goutermans four-orbital model in SubPcs, this effect being less dramatic in the DFT description. The nodal patterns for the two highest occupied molecular orbitals and the two lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals obtained from different computational methods exhibit important differences, but in general an explanation for some of the most important aspects of the chemical reactivity of the SubPcs can be put forward.

Approximating correlation effects in multiconfigurational self-consistent field calculations of spin-spin coupling constants

The multiconfigurational self-consistent field (MCSCF) method in their approximations restricted and complete active spaces (RAS and CAS) provides a theoretically accurate description of the coupling constants of a wide range of molecules. To obtain accurate results, however, very large basis sets and large configuration spaces must be used. Nuclear magnetic resonance coupling constants for the equilibrium geometry have been calculated for a series of small molecules using approximated correlation contributions. The four contributions to the coupling constants (Fermi contact, spin dipolar, orbital paramagnetic, and orbital diamagnetic) have been calculated at the CAS and RAS MCSCF and second-order polarization propagator approximation levels using a large basis set. An additive model that considers the effect on the coupling constants from excitation of more than two electrons and from core-electron correlation is used to estimate the coupling constants. Compared with the experimental couplings, the best calculated values, which correspond to the MCSCF results, present a mean absolute error of 3.6 Hz and a maximum absolute deviation of 13.4 Hz. A detailed analysis of the different contributions and of the effects of the additive contributions on the coupling constants is carried out.

Molecular electronic structure of subphthalocyanine macrocycles

Quantum chemical calculations at semiempirical (MNDO methods) and ab initio (6-31G and STO-3G basis ses) levels have been performed on boron(III) subphthalocyanines 1-10. Theoretical calculations predict a cone-shaped structure for these compounds independently of the kind of peripheral substitution and even of compositional changes in the central region of the macrocycle (for example, substitution of the boron atom by two hydrogens). The theoretical calculations are in excellent agreement with previous X-ray determinations.

Computational NMR coupling constants: Shifting and scaling factors for evaluating 1JCH

Optimized shifting and/or scaling factors for calculating one‐bond carbon–hydrogen spin–spin coupling constants have been determined for 35 combinations of representative functionals (PBE, B3LYP, B3P86, B97‐2 and M06‐L) and basis sets (TZVP, HIII‐su3, EPR‐III, aug‐cc‐pVTZ‐J, ccJ‐pVDZ, ccJ‐pVTZ, ccJ‐pVQZ, pcJ‐2 and pcJ‐3) using 68 organic molecular systems with 88 1JCH couplings including different types of hybridized carbon atoms. Density functional theory assessment for the determination of 1JCH coupling constants is examined, comparing the computed and experimental values. The use of shifting constants for obtaining the calculated coupling improves substantially the results, and most models become qualitatively similar. Thus, for the whole set of couplings and for all approaches excluding those using the M06 functional, the root‐mean‐square deviations lie between 4.7 and 16.4 Hz and are reduced to 4–6.5 Hz when shifting constants are considered. Alternatively, when a specific rovibrational contribution of 5 Hz is subtracted from the experimental values, good results are obtained with PBE, B3P86 and B97‐2 functionals in combination with HIII‐su3, aug‐cc‐pVTZ‐J and pcJ‐2 basis sets. Copyright

A mathematical model applied for assisting the estimation of PMI in a case of forensic importance. First record of Conicera similis (Diptera: Phoridae) in a corpse

We present a forensic case associated with skeletonized human remains found inside a cistern in a coastal town located in the eastern Iberian Peninsula (Valencian Regional Government, Spain). In order to analyse the particular environmental conditions that occurred during oviposition and development of the collected insects, estimated temperatures at the crime scene were calculated by a predictive mathematical model. This model analyses the correlation between the variability of the internal temperature depending on the variability of the external ones. The amplitude of the temperature oscillations inside the tank and the containment of the enclosure is reduced by the presence of water. Such variation occurred within about 2h due to the time required for heat exchange. The differential equations employed to model differences between outdoor and indoor temperatures were an essential tool which let us estimate the post-mortem interval (PMI) that was carried out by the study of the insect succession and the development time of the collected Diptera specimens under the adjusted temperatures. The presence of live larvae and pupae of Sarcophagidae and empty pupae of Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, Fanniidae, Muscidae, Phoridae and Piophilidae and the decomposition stage suggested the possibility that the remains were in the tank at least a year. We highlight the absence of Calliphora and Lucilia spp., and the first occurrence of the phorid Conicera similis in a human cadaver among the entomological evidence.

Jahn-Teller effect and dissociation from the ground state of CF4+

Abstract The Jahn-Teller (JT) effect in the CF 4 + ion and the reaction path with C 3v symmetry have been studied by ab initio methods, at HF and MP2 levels and by using several basis sets. The equilibrium structures for C 3v , C 2v and D 2d JT distortions have been calculated. There is no obvious JT distortion from the tetrahedral geometry of the 2 T 1 state of CF 4 + for C 3v symmetry. However, CF 4 + has a significant minimum in the ground state with C 3v symmetry, which shows evidences of a structure of a metastable complex (CF 3 + -F). Calculations show that the ground state of this ion is unstable to dissociation, CF 3 + + F, when the zero-point vibrational energy (ZPVE) is considered.

Quantum chemical applications of the theory of the distance between subspaces

Abstract The theory for the characterization of pairs of subspaces, previously developed by Jankowski, is rederived from the concept of distance between vectors and generalized. Moreover, several new applications of the theory are proposed. In particular, it is shown that the theory is useful for introducing quality criteria on the wave functions, for solving the basis set reduction or contraction problems and for obtaining trial orbitals in variational calculations. These applications are clarified in several examples.

Computational NMR coupling constants

Optimized shifting and/or scaling factors for calculating one‐bond carbon–hydrogen spin–spin coupling constants have been determined for 35 combinations of representative functionals (PBE, B3LYP, B3P86, B97‐2 and M06‐L) and basis sets (TZVP, HIII‐su3, EPR‐III, aug‐cc‐pVTZ‐J, ccJ‐pVDZ, ccJ‐pVTZ, ccJ‐pVQZ, pcJ‐2 and pcJ‐3) using 68 organic molecular systems with 88 1JCH couplings including different types of hybridized carbon atoms. Density functional theory assessment for the determination of 1JCH coupling constants is examined, comparing the computed and experimental values. The use of shifting constants for obtaining the calculated coupling improves substantially the results, and most models become qualitatively similar. Thus, for the whole set of couplings and for all approaches excluding those using the M06 functional, the root‐mean‐square deviations lie between 4.7 and 16.4 Hz and are reduced to 4–6.5 Hz when shifting constants are considered. Alternatively, when a specific rovibrational contribution of 5 Hz is subtracted from the experimental values, good results are obtained with PBE, B3P86 and B97‐2 functionals in combination with HIII‐su3, aug‐cc‐pVTZ‐J and pcJ‐2 basis sets. Copyright

Karplus Equation for (3)JHH Spin-Spin Couplings with Unusual (3)J(180°) < (3)J(0°) Relationship.

Vicinal (3)JHH coupling constants for monosubstituted ethane molecules present the unusual relationship (3)JHH (180°) < (3)JHH (0°) when the substituent contains bonding and antibonding orbitals with strong hyperconjugative interactions involving bond and antibond orbitals of the ethane fragment. This anomalous behavior is studied as a function of the substituent rotation for three model systems (propanal, thiopropanal, and 1-butene) at the B3LYP/TZVP level. The consistency of this level of theory to study this problem is previously established using different ab initio methods and larger basis sets. The origin of the unusual (3)JHH(180°) - (3)JHH(0°) relationship is attributed to simultaneous σ/π hyperconjugative interactions σCα-Hα → π*Cc═X, and σCα-Cβ → π*Cc═X. These interactions depend on the substituent rotation and their effects are different for (3)JHH(180°) than for (3)JHH(0°). The modelization carried out shows an increase of those effects as the substituent changes from weaker (CH═CH2) to stronger (CH═S) electron acceptor π*C═X.