DFT M06-2X investigation of alkaline hydrolysis of nitroaromatic compounds.

The need for accurate calculations on atoms and diatomic molecules is motivated by the opportunities and challenges of such studies. The most commonly-used approach for all-electron electronic structure calculations in general - the linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO) method - is discussed in combination with Gaussian, Slater a.k.a. exponential, and numerical radial functions. Even though LCAO calculations have major benefits, their shortcomings motivate the need for fully numerical approaches based on, e.g. finite differences, finite elements, or the discrete variable representation, which are also briefly introduced. 
Applications of fully numerical approaches for general molecules are briefly reviewed, and their challenges are discussed. It is pointed out that the high level of symmetry present in atoms and diatomic molecules can be exploited to fashion more efficient fully numerical approaches for these special cases, after which it is possible to routinely perform all-electron Hartree-Fock and density functional calculations directly at the basis set limit on such systems. Applications of fully numerical approaches to calculations on atoms as well as diatomic molecules are reviewed. Finally, a summary and outlook is given.

A review on non‐relativistic, fully numerical electronic structure calculations on atoms and diatomic molecules

Rapid growth of nanoscience and nanotechnology requires new and more powerful modeling tools. Efficient theoretical modeling of large molecular systems at the ab initio and Density Functional Theory (DFT) levels of theory depends critically on the size and completeness of the basis set used. The recently designed variants of STO-3G basis set (STO-3Gel, STO-3Gmag), modified to correctly predict electronic and magnetic properties were tested on simple models of pristine and functionalized carbon nanotube (CNT) systems and fullerenes using the B3LYP and VSXC density functionals. Predicted geometries, vibrational properties, and HOMO/LUMO gaps of the model systems, calculated with typical 6-31G* and modified STO-3G basis sets, were comparable. The 13 C nuclear isotropic shieldings, calculated with STO-3Gmag and Jensen's polarization consistent pcS-2 basis sets, were also identical. The STO-3Gmag basis sets, being half the size of the latter one, are promising alternative for studying 13 C nuclear magnetic shieldings in larger size CNTs and fullerenes.

Efficient Modeling of NMR Parameters in Carbon Nanosystems.

The applicability of popular and efficient B3LYP hybrid density functional and medium-size Pople-type basis set in combination with computationally expensive anharmonic model to obtain more accurate theoretical structure, vibrational frequencies and GIAO NMR parameters of cytosine was tested. We report on prediction of cytosine equilibrium (R
 e
 ) and rovibrationally averaged (R
 v
 ) structures and vibrational frequencies in the gas phase and DMSO solution using density functional theory combined with 6-311++G** basis set. The harmonic and anharmonic vibrational frequencies (using second-order vibrational perturbation theory, VPT2) were critically discussed. In comparison with initial harmonic data, a significantly better agreement between scaled and anharmonic frequencies and experiment was observed. Proton and carbon nuclear magnetic shieldings were calculated at R
 e
 and R
 v
 structures of cytosine in the gas phase and DMSO solution using BHandH and B3LYP density functionals combined with 6-311++G**, aug-cc-pVTZ-J and STO-3Gmag basis sets. The obtained NMR results were compared with available experimental data and discussed at length.

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Density functional theory (DFT) prediction of structural and spectroscopic parameters of cytosine using harmonic and anharmonic approximations

Structures of selected 3,6-dihalogeno-N-alkyl carbazole derivatives were calculated at the B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,2pd) level of theory, and their 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) isotropic shieldings were predicted using density functional theory (DFT). The model compounds contained 9H, N-methyl and N-ethyl derivatives. The relativistic effect of Br and I atoms on nuclear shieldings was modeled using the spin–orbit zeroth-order regular approximation (ZORA) method. Significant heavy atom shielding effects for the carbon atom directly bonded with Br and I were observed (~−10 and ~−30 ppm while the other carbon shifts were practically unaffected). The decreasing electronegativity of the halogen substituent (F, Cl, Br, and I) was reflected in both nonrelativistic and relativistic NMR results as decreased values of chemical shifts of carbon atoms attached to halogen (C3 and C6) leading to a strong sensitivity to halogen atom type at 3 and 6 positions of the carbazole ring. The predicted NMR data correctly reproduce the available experimental data for unsubstituted N-alkylcarbazoles. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Halogen effect on structure and 13C NMR chemical shift of 3,6-disubstituted-N-alkyl carbazoles.

Efficient scheme for construction of physically justified STO##-3Gel and STO##-3Gmag basis sets has been proposed. It is based upon the analysis of analytical form of the first-order correction functions to unperturbed STO basis sets under the perturbation by electric or magnetic fields. The test calculations of polarizability, magnetic susceptibility and chemical shifts performed for a series of aromatic compounds within the developed basis set in the framework of Hartree-Fock and Density Functional Theory (DFT) approaches show good agreement of the predicted properties with experiments. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011

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V. Bolshakov

Papers

Novel physically adapted STO##‐3G basis sets. Efficiency for prediction of second‐order electric and magnetic properties of aromatic hydrocarbons

Accurate calculations of second-order electric and magnetic properties: Two ways of physically justified modifications of basis sets