Philippe Carbonniere

Vibrational computations beyond the harmonic approximation: Performances of the B3LYP density functional for semirigid molecules

The performances of the B3LYP density functional in the computation of harmonic and anharmonic frequencies were tested using 14 standard basis sets of double and triple zeta quality for a set of semirigid molecules containing from 4 to 12 atoms. The quality of the results is assessed by comparison with the most reliable computations available in the literature. The study reveals that the relatively cheap 6‐31+G(d,p) basis set performs a very good job for harmonic frequency calculations and that B3LYP anharmonicities are in close agreement with the reference values irrespective of the basis set used. On these grounds “hybrid force fields” are proposed to achieve the best compromise between computer time and quality of the results.

Doping-enhanced hyperpolarizabilities of silicon clusters: A global ab initio and density functional theory study of Si10 (Li, Na, K)n (n = 1, 2) clusters

A global theoretical study of the (hyper)polarizabilities of alkali doped Si(10) is presented and discussed. First, a detailed picture about the low lying isomers of Si(10)Li, Si(10)Na, Si(10)K, Si(10)Li(2), Si(10)Na(2), and Si(10)K(2) has been obtained in a global manner. Then, the microscopic first (hyper)polarizabilities of the most stable configurations have been determined by means of ab initio methods of high predictive capability such as those based on the Møller-Plesset perturbation and coupled cluster theory, paying extra attention to the (hyper)polarizabilities of the open shell mono-doped systems Si(10)Li, Si(10)Na, Si(10)K, and the influence of spin contamination. These results were used to assess the performance of methods of low computational cost based on density functional theory (DFT) in the reliable computation of these properties in order to proceed with an in-depth study of their evolution as a function of the alkali metal, the cluster composition, and the cluster structure. The most interesting outcomes of the performed (hyper)polarizability study indicate that while alkali doping leaves the per atom polarizability practically unaffected, influences dramatically the hyperpolarizabilities of Si(10). The lowest energy structures of the mono-doped clusters are characterized by significantly enhanced hyperpolarizabilities as compared to the analogue neutral or charged bare silicon clusters Si(10) and Si(11), while, certain patterns governed by the type and the number of the doping agents are followed. The observed hyperpolarizability increase is found to be in close connection with specific cluster to alkali metal charge transfer excited states and to the cluster structures. Moreover, an interesting correlation between the anisotropy of the electron density, and the hyperpolarizabilities of these systems has been observed. Finally, it is important to note that the presented method assessment points out that among the various DFT functionals used in this work, (B3LYP, B3PW91, BhandHLYP, PBE0, CAM-B3LYP, LC-BLYP, LC-BPW91) only B3PW91 and PBE0 out of the seven provided a consistent quantitative performance for both polarizabilities and hyperpolarizabilities with respect to the ab initio methods utilized here. On the other hand, the long range corrected functionals LC-(U)BLYP and LC-(U)BPW91 (μ = 0.47) failed to supply quantitatively accurate hyperpolarizability results in all the studied clusters while the CAM-(U)B3LYP functional performs satisfactory only in the case of the Na and K doped systems.

Accurate vibrational spectra and magnetic properties of organic free radicals: The case of H2CN

We present the structural, magnetic, and vibrational properties of H2CN computed using a second-order perturbative approach in which equilibrium values and harmonic frequencies evaluated at the coupled-cluster level are combined with anharmonic and vibrational averaging contributions obtained by hybrid Hartree-Fock/Kohn-Sham methods. Our computations lead to remarkably accurate results and suggest some revision of the experimental vibrational assignments.

A global search algorithm of minima exploration for the investigation of low lying isomers of clusters from density functional theory-based potential energy surfaces: The example of Sin (n=3,15) as a test case

Using an effective generation algorithm coupled with a PBE0/LANL2DZdp level of theory, 905 stable structures of Si(n) (n=3,15) have been found. This global search algorithm of minima exploration includes two original parts: the spheroidal generation, allowing the generation of rings, sphericals, m rings cylinders, and planar structures, and the raking optimization, which discards step by step the conformations that become physically unreasonable during the optimization process. The 142 isomers lying below 1 eV are reported and include the 28 structures reported in the literature. Conformational energies are well reproduced with respect to the values previously published (DeltaE=0,00+/-0,09 eV).

Vibrational analysis of glycine radical: a comparative ab initio static and dynamic study

We present quantum mechanical (QM) vibrational computations beyond the harmonic approximation for an organic molecule that exhibits both torsional and NH(2) out of plane type modes: the glycine radical. The effective second order perturbative, variational and variation-perturbation treatments-defined as static approaches-as well as vibrational analysis from ab initio molecular dynamics trajectories at 300 K and 600 K were performed using the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) description of the electronic structure. Theses schemes are compared in terms of prediction of fundamental transitions, simulation of the corresponding medium infrared (MIR) spectrum and extraction of substantial information for the understanding of chemical problems. The validity of the analyses is checked for a similar molecule, formamide, for which experimental data are available.

An adaptive potential energy surface generation method using curvilinear valence coordinates

An automatic Born-Oppenheimer potential energy surface (PES) generation method AGAPES is presented designed for the calculation of vibrational spectra of large rigid and semi-rigid polyatomic molecules within the mid-infrared energy range. An adaptive approach guided by information from intermediate vibrational calculations in connection with a multi-mode expansion of the PES in internal valence coordinates is used and its versatility is tested for a selection of molecules: HNO, HClCO, and formaldoxime. Significant computational savings are reported. The possibility of linear scaling of the sampling grid size with the molecular size due to decrease of correlation of remote coordinates in large molecules is examined and finally, possible improvements are suggested.

Structural investigation of microhydrated thymine clusters and vibrational study of isolated and aqueous forms of thymine using DFT level of theory

This theoretical study provides the physically reasonable structures of the microhydrated thymine clusters, from the mono- to the penta-hydrated species, by the exploration of their B3LYP and B3LYP-D potential energy surfaces using a global search algorithm of minima (GSAM). The anharmonic vibrational computations of the isolated and aqueous thymine are also reported. They were performed from B3LYP and B3LYP-D potential electronic surfaces followed by a second order perturbative treatment of the anharmonicity. On that point, the computational strategy to properly take into account the effect of the polar protic solvent consists in considering a micro-hydrated thymine cluster [T,nH2O] surrounded by a polarizable continuum model (PCM). The number of solvent molecules was chosen in such a way that the micro-hydrated cluster presents only one dominant stable conformer at 298 K. All the VPT2 fundamental transitions obtained from the B3LYP and B3LYP-D quartic force fields are reported for the isolated form ([T,0H2O]) and for the aqueous form ([T,nH2O + PCM]). The theoretical results are compared to the available experimental data, which are for some of them reassigned, in order to assess the reliability of the B3LYP and B3LYP-D methods for the anharmonic treatment of such organic species in a polar protic solvent.

The use of the GSAM approach for the structural investigation of low-lying isomers of molecular clusters from density-functional-theory-based potential energy surfaces: the structures of microhydrated nucleic acid bases.

This study presents structural properties of microhydrated nucleic acid bases (NABs) - uracil (U), thymine (T), guanine (G), adenine (A), and cytosine (C) - investigated by theoretical computations at the B3LYP level of theory. To obtain the different representations of these microhydrated species, we applied the GSAM procedure: the most stable conformers labeled X,nH2O (X = U, T, G, A and n = 1...5) for which the Boltzmann population is higher than 2% at 298K are calculated at the B3LYP and B3LYP-D levels of theory. At the B3LYP level, our calculated geometries are compared with those obtained in the literature. New physically relevant isomers are found with the GSAM algorithm, especially for the tetra- and pentahydrated species. The use of DFT-D functional does not strongly modify the relative energies of the isomers for the monohydrated species. When the number of water molecules increases, the results become extremely sensitive to the consideration of dispersion contributions.

Theoretical Strategy to Build Structural Models of Microhydrated Inorganic Systems for the Knowledge of Their Vibrational Properties: The Case of the Hydrated Nitrate Aerosols

This study provides theoretical anharmonic calculations for microhydrated NaNO3-labeled (NaNO3, nH2O)x with a water-to-solute ratio (n) ranging from 1 to 3. A representative geometrical model of these forms was first investigated by simulating the molecular clusters as (NaNO3,1H2O)x with x = 1 to 4. The comparison between the calculated time independent anharmonic frequencies using the B3LYP-D/6-311+G(d,p) method and their experimental counterparts led to the choice of a supercluster model. The most probable structures of (NaNO3,nH2O)3 molecular system were investigated by using our global search algorithm we developed recently (GSAM code) both at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) and the B3LYP-D/6-311+G(d,p) levels of theory. The quality of the structural model is illustrated by comparing the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) and B3LYP-D/6-311+G(d,p) anharmonic vibrational signatures with those obtained from IR experiments. While an average deviation of 16 cm(-1) is observed in the case of the B3LYP computations, the deviation is reduced to 7 cm(-1) for the B3LYP-D computations.

Vibrational treatment of the formic acid double minimum case in valence coordinates

One single full dimensional valence coordinate HCOOH ground state potential energy surface accurate for both cis and trans conformers for all levels up to 6000 cm-1 relative to trans zero point energy has been generated at CCSD(T)-F12a/aug-cc-pVTZ level. The fundamentals and a set of eigenfunctions complete up to about 3120 and 2660 cm-1 for trans- and cis-HCOOH, respectively, have been calculated and assigned using the improved relaxation method of the Heidelberg multi-configuration time-dependent Hartree package and an exact expression for the kinetic energy in valence coordinates generated by the TANA program. The calculated trans fundamental transition frequencies agree with experiment to within 5 cm-1. A few reassignments are suggested. Our results discard any cis trans delocalization effects for vibrational eigenfunctions up to 3640 cm-1 relative to trans zero point energy.