An MCSCF procedure is described which is based on the direct minimization of an approximate energy expression which is periodic and correct to second order in the changes in the orthonormal orbitals Within this approximation, the CI coefficients are fully optimized, thereby accounting for the coupling between orbital rotations and CI coefficients to higher order than in previous treatments Additional transformations among the internal orbitals and their associated one‐ and two‐electron integrals are performed which amounts to treating the rotations among internal orbitals to higher than second order These extra steps are cheap compared to the four index transformation performed in each iteration, but lead to a remarkable enhancement of convergence and overall efficiency In all calculations attempted to date, convergence has been achieved in at most three iterations The energy has been observed to converge better than quadratically from the first iteration even when the initial Hessian matrix has many negative eigenvalues

A second order multiconfiguration SCF procedure with optimum convergence

An efficient second-order MC SCF method for long configuration expansions

: The unpolarized absorption and circular dichroism spectra of the fundamental vibrational transitions of the chiral molecule, 4-methyl-2-oxetanone, are calculated ab initio. Harmonic force fields are obtained using Density Functional Theory (DFT), MP2, and SCF methodologies and a 5S4P2D/3S2P (TZ2P) basis set. DFT calculations use the Local Spin Density Approximation (LSDA), BLYP, and Becke3LYP (B3LYP) density functionals. Mid-IR spectra predicted using LSDA, BLYP, and B3LYP force fields are of significantly different quality, the B3LYP force field yielding spectra in clearly superior, and overall excellent, agreement with experiment. The MP2 force field yields spectra in slightly worse agreement with experiment than the B3LYP force field. The SCF force field yields spectra in poor agreement with experiment.The basis set dependence of B3LYP force fields is also explored: the 6-31G* and TZ2P basis sets give very similar results while the 3-21G basis set yields spectra in substantially worse agreements with experiment. jg

Ab initio calculation of vibrational absorption and circular dichroism spectra using density functional force fields

We introduce density functional theory and review recent progress in its application to transition metal chemistry. Topics covered include local, meta, hybrid, hybrid meta, and range-separated functionals, band theory, software, validation tests, and applications to spin states, magnetic exchange coupling, spectra, structure, reactivity, and catalysis, including molecules, clusters, nanoparticles, surfaces, and solids.

Density functional theory for transition metals and transition metal chemistry

Light-Emitting Self-Assembled Materials Based on d(8) and d(10) Transition Metal Complexes.

The excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) mechanisms of 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole (HBO), bis-2,5-(2-benzoxazolyl)-hydroquinone (BBHQ) and 2,5-bis(5′-tert-butyl-benzoxazol-2′-yl)hydroquinone (DHBO) have been investigated using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). The calculated vertical excitation energies based on the TDDFT method reproduced the experimental absorption and emission spectra well. Three kinds of stable structures were found on the S1 state potential energy surface (PES). A new ESIPT mechanism that differs from the one proposed previously (Mordzinski et al., Chem. Phys. Lett., 1983, 101, 291. and Lim et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2006, 128, 14542.) is proposed. The new mechanism includes the possibility of simultaneous double proton transfer, or successive single transfers, in addition to the accepted single proton transfer mechanism. Hydrogen bond strengthening in the excited state was based on primary bond lengths, angles, IR vibrational spectra and hydrogen bond energy. Intramolecular charge transfer based on the frontier molecular orbitals (MOs) also supports the proposed mechanism of the ESIPT reaction. To further elucidate the proposed mechanism, reduced dimensionality PESs of the S0 and S1 states were constructed by keeping the O–H distance fixed at a series of values. The potential barrier heights among the local minima on the S1 surface imply competitive single and double proton transfer branches in the mechanism. Based on the new ESIPT mechanism, the observed fluorescence quenching can be satisfactorily explained.

Competitive excited-state single or double proton transfer mechanisms for bis-2,5-(2-benzoxazolyl)-hydroquinone and its derivatives

The excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) mechanisms of 1,8-dihydroxydibenzo[a,h]phenazine (DHBP) in toluene solvent have been investigated based on time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). The results suggest that both a single and double proton transfer mechanisms are relevant, in constrast to the prediction of a single one proposed previously (Piechowska et al. J. Phys. Chem. A 2014, 118, 144–151). The calculated results show that the intramolecular hydrogen bonds were formed in the S0 state, and upon excitation, the intramolecular hydrogen bonds between −OH group and pyridine-type nitrogen atom would be strengthened in the S1 state, which can facilitate the proton transfer process effectively. The calculated vertical excitation energies in the S0 and S1 states reproduce the experimental UV–vis absorption and fluorescence spectra well. The constructed potential energy surfaces of the S0 and S1 states have been used to explain the proton transfer process. Four minima have been f...

New excited state proton transfer mechanisms for 1,8-dihydroxydibenzo[a,h]phenazine

A unitary wave operator exp(G) is used to relate a multiconfigurational reference function Φ to the full, potentially exact, electronic eigenfunction Ψ=exp(G)Φ. If the reference function Φ is of a generalized complete‐active‐space (CAS) form, then the energy, computed as 〈Φ‖exp(−G)H exp(G)‖Φ〉 is size extensive; here H is the full N‐electron Hamiltonian. The Hausdorff expansion of exp(−G)H exp(G) is truncated at second order as part of our development. The parameters which appear in the cluster operator G are determined by making this second‐order energy stationary. Applications to the widely studied H2O (at the double zeta basis level) and lowest and first excited 1A1 states of BeH2 are performed in order to test this method on problems where ‘‘exact’’ results are known.

A unitary multiconfigurational coupled‐cluster method: Theory and applications

It is shown both theoretically and numerically that the minimal multireference configuration interaction (CI) approach [Liu, W.; Hoffmann, M. R. Theor. Chem. Acc. 2014, 133, 1481] converges quickly and monotonically from above to full CI by updating the primary, external, and secondary states that describe the respective static, dynamic, and again static components of correlation iteratively, even when starting with a rather poor description of a strongly correlated system. In short, the iterative CI (iCI) is a very effective means toward highly correlated wave functions and, ultimately, full CI.

iCI: Iterative CI toward full CI.

In this paper, we propose a new and complete mechanism for dual fluorescence of methyl salicylate (MS) under different conditions using a combined experimental (i.e., steady-state absorption and emission spectra and time-resolved fluorescence spectra) and theoretical (i.e., time-dependent density function theory) study. First, our theoretical study indicates that the barrier height for excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reaction of ketoB depends on the solvent polarity. In nonpolar solvents, the ESIPT reaction of ketoB is barrierless; the barrier height will increase with increasing solvent polarity. Second, we found that, in alcoholic solvents, intermolecular hydrogen bonding plays a more important role. The ketoB form of MS can form two hydrogen bonds with alcoholic solvents; one will facilitate ESIPT and produce the emission band in the blue region; the other one precludes ESIPT and produces the emission band in the near-UV region. Our proposed new mechanism can well explain previous results as well as our new experimental results.

Mark R. Hoffmann

Papers

Competitive excited-state single or double proton transfer mechanisms for bis-2,5-(2-benzoxazolyl)-hydroquinone and its derivatives

New excited state proton transfer mechanisms for 1,8-dihydroxydibenzo[a,h]phenazine

A unitary multiconfigurational coupled‐cluster method: Theory and applications

iCI: Iterative CI toward full CI.

New Insights into the Dual Fluorescence of Methyl Salicylate: Effects of Intermolecular Hydrogen Bonding and Solvation