0000000000076185
AUTHOR
Remedios González-luque
A theoretical determination of the electronic spectrum of Methylenecyclopropene
The vertical electronic spectrum of methylenecyclopropene, the prototype of the nonalternant hydrocarbons known as fulvenes, has been studied using multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory. The calculations comprise three valence states and the 3s, 3p, and 3d members of the Rydberg series converging to the first π ionization limit. Vertical excitation energies to three valence states are found at 4.13, 6.12, and 6.82 eV. The second of them corresponds to an excitation from the highest occupied σ orbital to a π* orbital, while the other two are π → π* excitations. The third transition gives rise to the most intense feature in the electronic spectrum. The results are rationalized…
Cyclobutane Pyrimidine Photodimerization of DNA/RNA Nucleobases in the Triplet State
The photoinduced formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in the triplet excited state of the DNA/RNA pyrimidine nucleobases pairs has been studied at the CASPT2 level of theory. A stepwise mechanism through the triplet state of the homodimer is proposed for the pairs of nucleobases cytosine, thymine, and uracil involving a singlet−triplet crossing intermediary structure of biradical character representing the most favorable triplet state conformation of the nucleobases as found in the DNA environment. The efficiency of the mechanism will be modulated by two factors: the effectiveness of the triplet−triplet energy transfer process from a donor photosensitizer molecule, which relates to th…
A theoretical determination of the dissociation energy of the nitric oxide dimer
Multi-reference CI methods have been applied to determine the dissociation energy and structure of thecis-N2O2 molecule. The convergence of the theoretical result has been checked with respect to a systematic expansion of the one-electron basis set and the multi-reference CI wave function. The best calculated value, 13.8 kJ/mol, is in agreement with the experimental value, 12.2 kJ/mol. It has been obtained with an extended ANO-type basis set [6s5p3d2f], including the effect of the basis set superposition error (BSSE) in the geometry optimization, and additional effects, such as the electron correlation of core electrons and relativistic corrections, using the average coupled pair functional…
Structure, Spectroscopy, and Spectral Tuning of the Gas-Phase Retinal Chromophore: The β-Ionone "Handle" and Alkyl Group Effect
The low-lying singlet states (i.e. S0, S1, and S2) of the chromophore of rhodopsin, the protonated Schiff base of 11-cis-retinal (PSB11), and of its all-trans photoproduct have been studied in isolated conditions by using ab initio multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory. The computed spectroscopic features include the vertical excitation, the band origin, and the fluorescence maximum of both isomers. On the basis of the S0-->S1 vertical excitation, the gas-phase absorption maximum of PSB11 is predicted to be 545 nm (2.28 eV). Thus, the predicted absorption maximum appears to be closer to that of the rhodopsin pigment (2.48 eV) and considerably red-shifted with respect to that…
On the role of the triplet state in the cis/trans isomerization of rhodopsin: A CASPT2//CASSCF study of a model chromophore
The possibility of population of the lowest-lying triplet state (T1) in the early events of the photochemical isomerization process of a model chromophore of Rhodopsin (Rh) has been analyzed using multireference perturbation theory (CASPT2//CASSCF) methods. It is shown that the characteristics of the isomerization process namely small S1−T1 gap, presence of hydrogen out of plane active vibrational modes, and existence of a dense manifold of vibrational states, render possible the fulfilment of the conditions needed for the population of T1. The possible consequences for the photochemistry and photophysics of Rh are also discussed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem 111:3431–3…
Theoretical Insight into the Spectroscopy and Photochemistry of Isoalloxazine, the Flavin Core Ring
The electronic singlet-singlet and singlet-triplet electronic transitions of the isoalloxazine ring of the flavin core are studied using second-order perturbation theory within the framework of the CASPT2//CASSCF protocol. The main features of the absorption spectrum are computed at 3.09, 4.28, 4.69, 5.00, and 5.37 eV. The lowest singlet (S1) and triplet (T1) excited states are found to be both of pi character with a singlet-triplet splitting of 0.57 eV. On the basis of the analysis of the computed spin-orbit couplings and the potential energy hypersurfaces built for the relevant excited states, the intrinsic mechanism for photoinduced population of T1 is discussed. Upon light absorption, e…
On the intrinsic population of the lowest triplet state of uracil
Abstract From CASPT2//CASSCF quantum-chemical computations it is determined that the lowest triplet state of uracil can be efficiently populated from the initially activated singlet manifold through respective singlet–triplet crossings of the singlet state with the low-lying 3nπ∗ state at 4.6 eV and with the lowest 3ππ∗ state at 4.2 eV located along the minimum energy path of the low-lying 1ππ∗ state. Large spin–orbit coupling elements predict, in particular for the former case, efficient intersystem crossing processes. The wavelength dependence measured for the triplet quantum yield can be explained by the location of the singlet–triplet crossing regions.
A theoretical study of the collinear reaction F+H2→HF+H using multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2)
Abstract The second-order perturbation method (CASPT2) with a single state multiconfigurational reference function generated in complete active self-consistent field (CASSCF) calculations has been used to compute the collinear barrier height, saddle point geometry, and exothermicity of the reaction F+H 2 →HF+H. Comparison with full configuration (FCI) calculations with small basis sets shows that the CASPT2 method is capable of reproducing accurately the exact benchmark results correlating seven electrons. Large atomic natural orbital basis sets are used at the seven- and nine-electron level of correlation. With the largest ANO basis set used, F[7s6p5d4f2g]/H[6s5p4d2f], the computed nine-el…
Theoretical Analysis of the Excited States in Maleimide
The electronic excited states of maleimide have been studied using multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory in its multistate formulation (MS-CASPT2) and extended atomic natural orbita...
On the dissociation energy of Cu2 and CuH using a differential correlation approach
The energy contributions involved in the “dissociation-consistent configuration interaction” (DCCI) scheme proposed by Goddard and co-workers plus the dispersion effects associated with the valence MOs adjacent to the bond (DISP) are evaluated for the Cu2 and CuH systems, following the “configuration interaction by perturbation with multiconfigurational zeroth-order wavefunction selected by iterative process” (CIPSI) algorithm. Using a relativistic pseudopotential to represent the neon core of copper, and a flexible basis set for the valence shell, the results obtained with the CIPSI/DCCI (+ DISP) approach shows a good agreement with previous theoretical results employing basis sets of simi…
The role of pyrimidine nucleobase excimers in DNA photophysics and photoreactivity
Abstract Quantum chemical studies using the accurate CASPT2//CASSCF procedure show that π-stacked interactions in biochromophores such as pyrimidine (Pyr) DNA/RNA nucleobases pairs yield excimer-like situations which behave as precursors of processes like charge transfer (CT) or photoreactivity and are the source of the emissive properties in DNA. Examples are the CT between adjacent DNA nucleobases in a strand of oligonucleotides and the photodimerization taking place in cytosine (C) pairs leading to cyclobutanecytosine (CBC) mutants. These processes take place through nonadiabatic photochemical mechanisms whose evolution is determined by the presence and accessibility of conical intersect…
Multiconfigurational perturbation theory (CASPT2) applied to the study of the low-lying singlet and triplet excited states of cyclopropene
The electronic spectrum of cyclopropene has been studied using multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2) with extended ANO-type basis sets. The calculation comprises two valence states and the 3s, 3p, 3d members of the Rydberg series converging to the π and σ ionization limits. A total of twenty singlet and twenty triplet excited states have been analyzed. The results confirm the valence nature of the lowest energy singlet-singlet band and yield a conclusive assignment: the first dipole-allowed transition in cyclcopropene is due to absorption to a (σ → π*) state. The (π → π*) (V) state is interleaved among a number of Rydberg states in the most intense band of the syste…
An ab initio CI study on the rotational barrier of the allyl anion
All-electron and pseudopotential non-empirical calculations have been performed on C 2v and C s (syn, anti) allyl anion conformations. Using a double-zeta valence-shell basis set within the Epstein-Nesbet definition of the unperturbed Hamiltonian, a value about 19 kcal/mol is found for the barrier to rotation of the allyl anion. This value is the theoretical value obtained with greater accuracy, and the lowest one for the rotational barrier.
ChemInform Abstract: A Theoretical Determination of the Dissociation Energy of the Nitric Oxide Dimer.
Multi-reference CI methods have been applied to determine the dissociation energy and structure of thecis-N2O2 molecule. The convergence of the theoretical result has been checked with respect to a systematic expansion of the one-electron basis set and the multi-reference CI wave function. The best calculated value, 13.8 kJ/mol, is in agreement with the experimental value, 12.2 kJ/mol. It has been obtained with an extended ANO-type basis set [6s5p3d2f], including the effect of the basis set superposition error (BSSE) in the geometry optimization, and additional effects, such as the electron correlation of core electrons and relativistic corrections, using the average coupled pair functional…
Singlet-Triplet States Interaction Regions in DNA/RNA Nucleobase Hypersurfaces.
The present study provides new insight into the intrinsic mechanisms for the population of the triplet manifold in DNA nucleobases by determining, at the multiconfigurational CASSCF/CASPT2 level, the singlet-triplet states crossing regions and the main decay paths for their lowest singlet and triplet states after near-UV irradiation. The studied singlet-triplet interacting regions are accessible along the minimum energy path of the initially populated singlet bright (1)ππ* state. In particular, all five natural DNA/RNA nucleobases have, at the end of the main minimum energy path and near a conical intersection of the ground and (1)ππ* states, a low-energy, easily accessible, singlet-triplet…
The family of furocoumarins: Looking for the best photosensitizer for phototherapy
Abstract Furocoumarins are widely used as photosensitizers in photochemical therapies against different skin disorders such as psoriasis and vitiligo. Absorption of near-UV light by the chromophore triggers a set of photoreactions related to the therapeutic properties of the technique: linkage of a furocoumarin to thymine DNA nucleobases preventing proliferation of pathogenic cells, or generation of highly reactive singlet oxygen in damaged tissues. The family of furocoumarins has been studied in depth for many years seeking a drug having the most remarkable set of properties to act as a photosensitizer. For this purpose, understanding the underlying photochemical mechanisms behind the effe…
On the Intrinsic Population of the Lowest Triplet State of Thymine
The population of the lowest triplet state of thymine after near-UV irradiation has been established, on the basis of CASPT2//CASSCF quantum chemical calculations, to take place via three distinct intersystem crossing mechanisms from the initially populated singlet bright 1pipi* state. Two singlet-triplet crossings have been found along the minimum-energy path for ultrafast decay of the singlet state at 4.8 and 4.0 eV, involving the lowest 3npi* and 3pipi* states, respectively. Large spin-orbit coupling elements predict efficient intersystem crossing processes in both cases. Another mechanism involving energy transfer from the lowest 1npi* state with much larger spin-orbit coupling terms ca…
Theoretical characterization of the absorption spectra of phenanthrene and its radical cation
The vertical absorption spectra of phenanthrene and its radical cation have been studied theoretically by means of a multiconfigurational second-order perturbation approach. Singlet-singlet transition energies and oscillator strengths, and singlet-triplet excitation energies have been studied in the absorption spectrum of phenanthrene up to 6 eV. The absorption spectrum of the pehnanthrene radical cation has been computed up to 3.4 eV. The results obtained confirm previous assignments and also lead to new interpretations of the main features of the spectra of these systems.
Selected dissociation‐ and correlation‐consistent configuration interaction by a perturbative criterion
We propose a perturbative criterion to select the most important dissociation‐ or correlation‐consistent type of contributions to perform generalized valence bond‐configuration interaction (GVB‐CI) calculations, dissociation‐consistent configuration interaction (DCCI) or correlation‐consistent configuration interaction (CCCI) approach, respectively. The procedure presented is computationally less demanding than the CCCI proposed by Goddard and co‐workers. To ensure the distance consistency of the MOs used, the nonvalence virtual orbitals are obtained by a projection technique. The results obtained for a few test calculations show the ability of the suggested approach to get close results to…
An ab initio study of the electron affinity of O2
Abstract Coupled pair functional, multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory, and multireference CI methods have been applied in a calculation of the electron affinity of the oxygen molecule. The convergence of the theoretical result has been checked with respect to a systematic expansion of the one-electron basis and the multireference CI wavefunction. The best calculated value, 0.39 eV, is 0.06 eV smaller than the recent experimental value 0.45±0.01 eV.
Analysis of the CIPSI/DCCI approach to characterize the HF AND F2 single bond
Abstract The aim of the present work is to account for the main differential correlation contributions occurring during the bond breaking process of HF and F2 molecules in an accurate and inexpensive way. Starting from the dissociation-consistent configuration interaction (DCCI) scheme by Goddard and co-workers the corresponding contributions are evaluated within the framework reported by Malrieu and co-workers, namely configuration interaction by perturbation with multiconfigurational zeroth-order wavefunction selected by iterative process (CIPSI). In addition, the DCCI scheme has been improved by introducing the dispersion effects associated with the valence MOs adjacent to the bond. The …
Computational evidence in favor of a two-state, two-mode model of the retinal chromophore photoisomerization
In this paper we use ab initio multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory to establish the intrinsic photoisomerization path model of retinal chromophores. This is accomplished by computing the ground state ( S 0 ) and the first two singlet excited-state ( S 1 , S 2 ) energies along the rigorously determined photoisomerization coordinate of the rhodopsin chromophore model 4- cis -γ-methylnona-2,4,6,8-tetraeniminium cation and the bacteriorhodopsin chromophore model all- trans -hepta-2,4,6-trieniminium cation in isolated conditions. The computed S 2 and S 1 energy profiles do not show any avoided crossing feature along the S 1 reaction path and maintain an energy gap >20 kcal⋅…
On the theoretical determination of the electron affinity of ozone
Multiconfigurational electron correlation methods have been analyzed in order to theoretically compute the electron affinity (EA) of ozone. The near-degeneracy correlation effects, which are so important in O3 and O 3 − , have been described using complete active space (CAS) SCF wave functions. Remaining dynamic correlation effects are computed using second-order perturbation theory (the CASPT2 method). The best calculated adiabatic value (including zero-point energy corrections), 2.19 eV, is about 0.09 eV larger than the experimental value. Comparative studies using size-consistent coupled pair functional approaches (CPF and ACPF) have also been performed. The harmonic frequencies in O 3 −…
Theoretical ab initio study of the vinylcarbene-CuO complex: application to last step of the propylene partial oxidation mechanism on Cu2O
Abstract Using non-empirical pseudopotentials, we have performed a theoretical study on the last step of the propylene partial oxidation mechanism, the acrolein desorption from the catalyst surface. To represent the catalyst we have used a simplified model of a catalyst active site. We have study the C 3 H 4 CuO complex, analysing the dissociation process of the oxygenated complex from a metallic centre. The results indicate that this complex dissociates into cis - and trans -acrolein and a metal site, in a process without energetic barrier.
A CI study of the CuCO and CuCO+ complexes
MO CI calculations are carried out using an optimal space of valence virtual MOs obtained by means of a projection technique, as a linear combination of the AOs which are more occupied in the molecular Fock space. Localization of the occupied MOs and nonvalence virtual MOs is also achieved. The overall procedure is proven to be quite advantageous and well suited to obtain potential energy curves which keep the same physical meaning along the range of distances studied. Using a slightly better than double‐zeta quality basis set, a valence CAS‐CI, and selected CI wave function by the CIPSI algorithm have revealed a possible weak van der Waals interaction for the 2Σ+ state of CuCO, which remai…
Unified model for the ultrafast decay of pyrimidine nucleobases.
Ultrafast decay processes detected after absorption of UV radiation in gas-phase pyrimidine nucleobases uracil, thymine, and cytosine are ascribed to the barrierless character of the pathway along the low-lying 1(pipi*) hypersurface connecting the Franck-Condon region with an out-of-plane distorted ethene-like conical intersection with the ground state. Longer lifetime decays and low quantum yield emission are on the other hand related to the presence of a 1(pipi*) state planar minimum on the S1 surface and the barriers to access other conical intersections. A unified model for the three systems is established on the basis of accurate multiconfigurational CASPT2 calculations, whereas the ef…
Theoretical spectroscopy of organic systems
Abstract The complete active space (CAS) SCF method in conjunction with the multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2) has been applied to study the electronically excited states of basic organic compounds. As shown in the lecture with a number of examples, the CASPT2 method is capable of yielding accurate results for relative energies and other properties of excited states, provided that flexible one-electron basis sets are employed. The applications comprise an ample range of systems and problems, including polyenes, conjugated and unconjugated dienes, alternant and nonalternant hydrocarbons, polyenals, etc. As a whole these studies enable both qualitative and quantita…
ChemInform Abstract: An ab initio CI Study on the Rotational Barrier of the Allyl Anion.
All-electron and pseudopotential non-empirical calculations have been performed on C 2v and C s (syn, anti) allyl anion conformations. Using a double-zeta valence-shell basis set within the Epstein-Nesbet definition of the unperturbed Hamiltonian, a value about 19 kcal/mol is found for the barrier to rotation of the allyl anion. This value is the theoretical value obtained with greater accuracy, and the lowest one for the rotational barrier.
Ab initio study on the low-lying excited states of retinal
Ab initio results for the electronic spectrum of all-trans-retinal and its truncated model 3-methyl-all-trans (10-s-cis)-2,4,6,8,10-undecapentaen-1-al are presented. The study includes geometry determination of the ground state. Vertical excitation energies have been computed using multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory through the CASPT2 formalism. The lowest singlet excited state in gas phase is predicted to be of nπ∗ character. The lowest triplet state corresponds, however, to a ππ∗ state. The most intense feature of the spectrum is due to the strongly dipole-allowed ππ∗ transition, in accordance with the observed maximum in the one-photon spectra. The vertical excitation …