Patricio F. Provasi

The Dalton quantum chemistry program system

Dalton is a powerful general‐purpose program system for the study of molecular electronic structure at the Hartree–Fock, Kohn–Sham, multiconfigurational self‐consistent‐field, Møller–Plesset, configuration‐interaction, and coupled‐cluster levels of theory. Apart from the total energy, a wide variety of molecular properties may be calculated using these electronic‐structure models. Molecular gradients and Hessians are available for geometry optimizations, molecular dynamics, and vibrational studies, whereas magnetic resonance and optical activity can be studied in a gauge‐origin‐invariant manner. Frequency‐dependent molecular properties can be calculated using linear, quadratic, and cubic response theory. A large number of singlet and triplet perturbation operators are available for the study of one‐, two‐, and three‐photon processes. Environmental effects may be included using various dielectric‐medium and quantum‐mechanics/molecular‐mechanics models. Large molecules may be studied using linear‐scaling and massively parallel algorithms. Dalton is distributed at no cost from http://www.daltonprogram.org for a number of UNIX platforms.

The effect of lone pairs and electronegativity on the indirect nuclear spin–spin coupling constants in CH2X (X=CH2, NH, O, S): Ab initio calculations using optimized contracted basis sets

The indirect nuclear spin–spin coupling constants of C2H4, CH2NH, CH2O, and CH2S were investigated by means of correlated ab initio calculations at the level of the second order polarization propagator approximation (SOPPA) and the second order polarization propagator approximation with coupled cluster singles and doubles amplitudes—SOPPA(CCSD) using large basis sets, which are optimized for the calculation of coupling constants. It is found that at the self-consistent-field (SCF) level CH2NH and CH2S exhibit triplet instabilities whereas CH2CH2 and CH2O show triplet quasi-instabilities, which renders the SCF results meaningless. Our best results deviate between 0.3 and 2.7 Hz from the experimental values. We find that although the one-bond C–H and Y–H couplings as well as the two- and three-bond H–H couplings are dominated by the Fermi contact term, significant contributions of the orbital paramagnetic and sometimes even spin–dipolar terms are observed for the one-bond C–Y and two-bond C–H and Y–H coupli...

The use of locally dense basis sets in the calculation of indirect nuclear spin–spin coupling constants: The vicinal coupling constants in H3C–CH2X (X=H, F, Cl, Br, I)

We have calculated the vicinal indirect nuclear spin-spin coupling constants 3J1H1H  in the series of molecules H3C–CH2X with X=H, F, Cl, Br, and I at the self-consistent field level and using the second order polarization propagator approximation (SOPPA). We have studied the effect of electron correlation and of the substituents (X=F, Cl, Br, and I) on all four contributions to the coupling constants. But in particular we have investigated the possibility of using locally dense basis sets, i.e., we have carried out calculations with basis sets, where the basis functions on the hydrogen atoms were optimized for the calculation of spin–spin coupling constants whereas on the other atoms smaller, contracted sets of basis functions were used. This changes the results for the couplings by ∼0.3 Hz or 3%. However, the change is almost entirely due to the orbital paramagnetic term and is independent of electron correlation, which enables one to estimate the SOPPA results in the full basis sets. Furthermore we fin...

Optimized basis sets for the calculation of indirect nuclear spin-spin coupling constants involving the atoms B, Al, Si, P, and Cl

The aug-cc-pVTZ-J series of basis sets for indirect nuclear spin-spin coupling constants has been extended to the atoms B, Al, Si, P, and Cl. The basis sets were obtained according to the scheme previously described by Provasi et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 115, 1324 (2001)]. First, the completely uncontracted correlation consistent aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets were extended with four tight s and three tight d functions. Second, the s and p basis functions were contracted with the molecular orbital coefficients of self-consistent-field calculations performed with the uncontracted basis sets on the simplest hydrides of each atom. As a first illustration, we have calculated the one-bond indirect spin-spin coupling constants in BH(4)(-), BF, AlH, AlF, SiH(4), SiF(4), PH(3), PF(3), H(2)S, SF(6), HCl, and ClF at the level of density functional theory using the Becke three parameter Lee-Yang-Parr and the second order polarization propagator approximation with coupled cluster singles and doubles amplitudes.

On the Angular Dependence of the Vicinal Fluorine-Fluorine Coupling Constant in 1,2-Difluoroethane: Deviation from a Karplus-like Shape

The angular dependence of the vicinal fluorine-fluorine coupling constant, (3)JFF, for 1,2-difluoroethane has been investigated with several polarization propagator methods. (3)JFF and its four Ramsey contributions were calculated using the random phase approximation (RPA), its multiconfigurational generalization, and both second-order polarization propagator approximations (SOPPA and SOPPA(CCSD)), using locally dense basis sets. The geometries were optimized for each dihedral angle at the level of density functional theory using the B3LYP functional and fourth-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory. The resulting coupling constant curves were fitted to a cosine series with 8 coefficients. Our results are compared with those obtained previously and values estimated from experiment. It is found that the inclusion of electron correlation in the calculation of (3)JFF reduces the absolute values. This is mainly due to changes in the FC contribution, which for dihedral angles around the trans conformation even changes its sign. This sign change is responsible for the breakdown of the Karplus-like curve.

NMR Chemical Shielding and Spin-Spin Coupling Constants of Liquid NH3: A Systematic Investigation using the Sequential QM/MM Method

The NMR spin coupling parameters, (1)J(N,H) and (2)J(H,H), and the chemical shielding, sigma((15)N), of liquid ammonia are studied from a combined and sequential QM/MM methodology. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to generate statistically uncorrelated configurations that are submitted to density functional theory calculations. Two different Lennard-Jones potentials are used in the liquid simulations. Electronic polarization is included in these two potentials via an iterative procedure with and without geometry relaxation, and the influence on the calculated properties are analyzed. B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ-J calculations were used to compute the (1)J(N,H) constants in the interval of -67.8 to -63.9 Hz, depending on the theoretical model used. These can be compared with the experimental results of -61.6 Hz. For the (2)J(H,H) coupling the theoretical results vary between -10.6 to -13.01 Hz. The indirect experimental result derived from partially deuterated liquid is -11.1 Hz. Inclusion of explicit hydrogen bonded molecules gives a small but important contribution. The vapor-to-liquid shifts are also considered. This shift is calculated to be negligible for (1)J(N,H) in agreement with experiment. This is rationalized as a cancellation of the geometry relaxation and pure solvent effects. For the chemical shielding, sigma((15)N) calculations at the B3LYP/aug-pcS-3 show that the vapor-to-liquid chemical shift requires the explicit use of solvent molecules. Considering only one ammonia molecule in an electrostatic embedding gives a wrong sign for the chemical shift that is corrected only with the use of explicit additional molecules. The best result calculated for the vapor to liquid chemical shift Delta sigma((15)N) is -25.2 ppm, in good agreement with the experimental value of -22.6 ppm.

Resolving an apparent discrepancy between theory and experiment: spin–spin coupling constants for FCCF

Ab initio equation of motion coupled cluster singles and doubles (EOM–CCSD) and second‐order polarization propagator approximation (SOPPA) calculations have been performed to evaluate spin–spin coupling constants for FCCF (difluoroethyne). The computed EOM‐CCSD value of 3J(FF) obtained at the experimental geometry of this molecule supports the previously reported experimental value of 2.1 Hz, thereby resolving an apparent discrepancy between theory and experiment. This coupling constant exhibits a strong dependence on the CC and CF distances, and its small positive value results from a sensitive balance of paramagnetic spin‐orbit (PSO) and spin‐dipole (SD) terms. The three other unique FCCF coupling constants 1J(CC), 1J(CF), and 2J(CF) have also been reported and compared with experimental data. While 1J(CF) is in agreement with experiment, the computed value of 2J(CF) is larger than our estimate of the experimental coupling constant. Copyright

Stereochemical dependence of NMR geminal spin–spin coupling constants

In this work it was sought to explore the versatility of geminal spin–spin coupling constants, 2JXY SSCCs, as probes for stereochemical studies. A set of compounds, where their experimental 2JXY SSCCs through the X–C–Y molecular fragment are predicted to be sensitive to hyperconjugative interactions involving either bonding or antibonding orbitals containing the C carbon atom (‘coupling pathway’), were analyzed. SSCC calculations were performed for some selected examples using the second order polarization propagator approximation (SOPPA) method or within the DFT‐B3LYP framework. Hyperconjugative interactions were calculated within the Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) approach. Results are condensed in two qualitative rules: Rule IM—hyperconjugative interactions transferring charge into the coupling pathway yield a positive increase to the Fermi contact (FC), contribution to 2KXY reduced spin–spin coupling constants (RSSCC), and Rule IIM—hyperconjugative interactions transferring charge from the coupling pathway yield a negative increase to the FC contribution to 2KXY RSSCC. Copyright

A computational study of 2JHH(gem) indirect spin–spin coupling constants in simple hydrides of the second and third periods

Several theoretical methods have been used to compute 2JHH in neutral, anionic and cationic HXH hydrides, X being the 14 nuclei from Li to Cl (28 molecules). Since the calculations also provide 1JXH spin–spin coupling constants (SSCC), these have also been analyzed. The best results were obtained using Second‐order polarization propagator approximation (SOPPA)/sadJ. The geminal coupling constants appear to be dependent on the electronegativity of the X‐atom. Copyright

Analysis of isotope effects in NMR one-bond indirect nuclear spin–spin coupling constants in terms of localized molecular orbitals

We recently showed, by analyzing contributions from localized molecular orbitals, that the anomalous deuterium isotope effect in the one-bond indirect nuclear spin-spin coupling constant of methane, also called the unexpected differential sensitivity, can be explained by the transfer of s-orbital character from the stretched bond to the other unchanged bonds [ChemPhysChem, 2008, 9, 1259]. We now extend this analysis of isotope effects to the molecules BH(4)(-), NH(4)(+), SiH(4), H(2)O and NH(3) in order to test our conclusions on a wider rage of XH(4) compounds and to investigate whether the lone-pair orbitals are really responsible for the absence of a similar effect in water and ammonia as proposed earlier [J. Chem. Phys., 2000, 113, 3121].