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At least 865 records · Page 48

Chemist: A Domain-Specific Language by Chemists for Chemists

Managing the complexity of quantum chemistry (QC) software is key to ensuring it remains accessible, maintainable, and reusable. Noticeably missing from the QC ecosystem are modules targeting bottleneck routines. Here we argue that this is likely due to the difficulty in defining interfaces for such modules. To that end, we introduce the open-source, publicly available Chemist library https://github.com/NWChemEx/Chemist. Chemist is a domain-specific language targeting the QC domain. Chemist has been developed focusing on performance and user-friendliness. Using Chemist, QC tasks are defined using familiar domain concepts such as molecules, wave functions, and operators. The domain objects are hierarchical to ensure a systematic encapsulation of information. Key features of Chemist include: extensibility, the ability to alias existing data, and the ability to succinctly define many common QC tasks. The usefulness of Chemist is demonstrated by discussing the interface of NWChemEx’s Fock build module and by showcasing a proof-of-concept self-consistent field algorithm containing uncertainty propagation.

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Formation of the C 4 H n + ( n = 2–5) ions upon ionization of acetylene clusters in helium droplets

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy using ultracold helium nanodroplet matrices has proven to be a powerful method to interrogate encapsulated ions, molecules, and clusters. Due to the helium droplets’ high ionization potential, optical transparency, and ability to pick up dopant molecules, the droplets offer a unique modality to probe transient chemical species produced via photo- or electron impact ionization. Here, in this work, helium droplets were doped with acetylene molecules and ionized via electron impact. Ion-molecule reactions within the droplet volume yield larger carbo-cations that were studied via IR laser spectroscopy. This work is focused on cations containing four carbon atoms. The spectra of C 4 H 2 + , C 4 H 3 + , and C 4 H 5 + are dominated by diacetylene, vinylacetylene, and methylcyclopropene cations, respectively, which are the lowest energy isomers. On the other hand, the spectrum of C 4 H 4 + ions hints at the presence of several co-existing isomers, the identity of which remains to be elucidated.

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Systematic Improvement of Quantum Monte Carlo Calculations in Transition Metal Oxides: sCI-Driven Wavefunction Optimization for Reliable Band Gap Prediction

Accurate determination of the electronic properties of correlated oxides remains a significant challenge for computational theory. Traditional Hubbard-corrected density functional theory (DFT+U) frequently encounters limitations in precisely capturing electron correlation, particularly in predicting band gaps. We introduce a systematic methodology to enhance the accuracy of diffusion Monte Carlo (DMC) simulations for both ground and excited states, focusing on LiCoO 2 as a case study. By employing a selected configuration interaction (sCI) approach, we demonstrate the capability to optimize wavefunctions beyond the constraints of single-reference DFT+U trial wavefunctions. Here, we show that the sCI framework enables accurate prediction of band gaps in LiCoO 2 , closely aligning with experimental values and substantially improving traditional computational methods. The study uncovers a nuanced mixed state of t 2g and e g orbitals at the band edges that is not captured by conventional single-reference methods, further elucidating the limitations of PBE+U in describing d-d excitations. Our findings advocate for the adoption of beyond-DFT methodologies, such as sCI, to capture the essential physics of excited-state wavefunctions in strongly correlated materials. The improved accuracy in band gap predictions and the ability to generate more reliable trial wavefunctions for DMC calculations underscore the potential of this approach for broader applications in the study of correlated oxides. This work not only provides a pathway for more accurate simulations of electronic structures in complex materials but also suggests a framework for future investigations of the excited states of other challenging systems.

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Wavelength-Selective Reactivity of Iron(III) Halide Salts in Photocatalytic C–H Functionalization

The utility of halogen radicals in hydrocarbon functionalization extends from early examples of photochemical halogenation to recent reports using photoredox catalysis with iridium complexes and simple transition metal salts such as FeCl 3 . The majority of these methods (uncatalyzed and iron-catalyzed) require UV light (λ ≤ 390 nm), and systematic efforts to enable the use of visible light remain valuable. We report the use of a simple Fe(III) salt that enables a C–H to C–C and C–N functionalization under visible light. The reactivity and selectivity profile using different light sources demonstrates wavelength-selective behavior, which was further investigated with deuterium kinetic isotope effect experiments and DFT calculations. These results show that control over the reactive intermediates in this iron-catalyzed reaction can be achieved through proper choice of the wavelength of irradiation.

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Semi-Automated Creation of Density Functional Tight Binding Models through Leveraging Chebyshev Polynomial-Based Force Fields

Density functional tight binding (DFTB) is an attractive method for accelerated quantum simulations of condensed matter due to its enhanced computational efficiency over standard density functional theory (DFT) approaches. However, DFTB models can be challenging to determine for individual systems of interest, especially for metallic and interfacial systems where different bonding arrangements can lead to significant changes in electronic states. In this regard, we have created a rapid-screening approach for determining systematically improvable DFTB interaction potentials that can yield transferable models for a variety of conditions. Our method leverages a recent reactive molecular dynamics force field where many-body interactions are represented by linear combinations of Chebyshev polynomials. This allows for the efficient creation of multi-center representations with relative ease, requiring only a small investment in initial DFT calculations. Here, we have focused our workflow on TiH 2 as a model system and show that a relatively small training set based on unit-cell-sized calculations yields a model accurate for both bulk and surface properties. Our approach is easy to implement and can yield reliable DFTB models over a broad range of thermodynamic conditions, where physical and chemical properties can be difficult to interrogate directly and there is historically a significant reliance on theoretical approaches for interpretation and validation of experimental results.

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Chlorophylls as primary electron acceptors in reaction centers

Photosynthetic Reaction Centers (RCs) can be considered blueprints for highly efficient energy transfer. Embedded with an array of cofactors, including (bacterio)chlorophyll ((B)Chl) and (B)pheophytin ((B)Pheo) molecules, RCs function with a high quantum yield that spans a wide spectral range. Understanding the principles that underlie their function can influence the design of the next generation of artificial photosynthetic devices. We are particularly interested in the factors that influence the early stages of light-driven charge separation in RCs. With the recent publication of several highly anticipated RC structures and advanced computational methods available, it is possible to probe both the geometric and electronic structures of an array of RCs. In this chapter, we review the electronic and geometric structures of the (B)Chl and (B)Pheo primary electron acceptors from fiveRCs, comprising both Type I and Type II RCs and representing both heterodimeric and homodimeric systems. We showcase the dimeric A0•- state of Type I RCs, whereby the unpaired electron is delocalized, to various extents, over two (B)Chl molecules (B)Chl2 and (B)Chl3. This delocalization is controlled by several factors, including the structure of the (B)Chls, interactions with the surrounding protein matrix, and the orientation and distances of the cofactors themselves. In contrast, the primary acceptors of Type II RCs are entirely monomeric, with electron density residing solely on the (B)Pheo. We compare the natural design of the primary acceptors of the Type I and Type II RCs from both an evolutionary and application based perspective.

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Thermofield Theory for Finite-Temperature Electronic Structure

Wave function methods have offered a robust, systematically improvable means to study ground-state properties in quantum many-body systems. Theories like coupled cluster and their derivatives provide highly accurate approximations to the energy landscape at a reasonable computational cost. Analogues of such methods to study thermal properties, though highly desirable, have been lacking because evaluating thermal properties involve a trace over the entire Hilbert space, which is a formidable task. Besides, excited-state theories are generally not as well studied as ground-state ones. In this mini-review, we present an overview of a finite-temperature wave function formalism based on thermofield dynamics to overcome these difficulties. Thermofield dynamics allows us to map the equilibrium thermal density matrix to a pure state, i.e., a single wave function, albeit in an expanded Hilbert space. Ensemble averages become expectation values over this so-called thermal state. Around this thermal state, we have developed a procedure to generalize ground-state wave function theories to finite temperatures. As explicit examples, we highlight formulations of mean-field, configuration interaction, and coupled cluster theories for thermal properties of Fermions in the grand-canonical ensemble. To assess the quality of these approximations, we also show benchmark studies for the one-dimensional Hubbard model, while comparing against exact results. We will see that the thermal methods perform similarly to their ground-state counterparts, while merely adding a prefactor to the asymptotic computational cost. Furthermore, they also inherit all the properties, good or bad, from the ground-state methods, signifying the robustness of our formalism and the scope for future development.

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In Silico Screening of CO 2 –Dipeptide Interactions for Bioinspired Carbon Capture

Carbon capture, sequestration and utilization offers a viable solution for reducing the total amount of atmospheric CO 2 concentrations. On an industrial scale, amine-based solvents are extensively employed for CO 2 capture through chemisorption. Nevertheless, this method is marked by the high cost associated with solvent regeneration, high vapor pressure, and the corrosive and toxic attributes of by-products, such as nitrosamines. An alternative approach is the biomimicry of sustainable materials that have strong affinity and selectivity for CO 2 . Bioinspired approaches, such as those based on naturally occurring amino acids, have been proposed for direct air capture methodologies. In this study, we present a database consisting of 960 dipeptide molecular structures, composed of the 20 naturally occurring amino acids. Furthermore, those structures were analyzed with a novel computational workflow presented in this work that considers certain interaction sites that determine CO 2 affinity. Density functional theory (DFT) and symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) computations were performed for the calculation of CO 2 interaction energies, which allowed to limit our search space to 400 unique dipeptide structures. Using this computational workflow, we provide statistical insights into dipeptides and their affinity for CO 2 binding, as well as design principles that can further enhance CO 2 capture through cooperative binding.

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Electronic relaxation dynamics in [Au 25 (SR) 18 ] -1 (R = CH 3 , C 2 H 5 , C 3 H 7 , MPA, PET) thiolate-protected nanoclusters

Here we investigate the excited electron dynamics in [Au 25 (SR) 18 ] -1 (R = CH3, C 2 H 5 , C 3 H 7 , MPA, PET) [MPA = mercaptopropanoic acid, PET = phenylethylthiol] nanoparticles to understand how different ligands affect the excited state dynamics in this system. The population dynamics of the core and higher excited states lying in the energy range 0.00–2.20 eV are studied using a surface hopping method with decoherence correction in a real-time DFT approach. All of the ligated clusters follow a similar trend in decay for the core states (S 1 –S 6 ). The observed time constants are on the picosecond time scale (2–19 ps), which agrees with the experimental time scale, and this study confirms that the time constants observed experimentally could originate from core-to-core transitions and not from core-to-semiring transitions. In the presence of higher excited states, R = H, CH 3 , C 2 H 5 , C 3 H 7 , and PET demonstrate similar relaxations trends whereas R = MPA shows slightly different relaxation of the core states due to a smaller gap between the LUMO+1 and LUMO+2 gap in its electronic structure. The S 1 (HOMO → LUMO) state gives the slowest decay in all ligated clusters, while S 7 has a relatively long decay. Furthermore, separate electron and hole relaxations were performed on the [Au 25 (SCH 3 ) 18 ] -1 nanocluster to understand how independent electron and hole relaxations contribute to the overall relaxation dynamics.

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Modeling Strong Light-Matter Coupling in Correlated Systems: State-Averaged Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics Complete Active Space Self-Consistent Field Theory

The description of strongly correlated systems interacting with quantized cavity modes poses significant theoretical challenges due to the combinatorial scaling of electronic and photonic degrees of freedom. Recent advances addressing this complexity include cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) generalizations of complete active space configuration interaction and density matrix renormalization group methods. In this work, we introduce a QED extension of state-averaged complete active space self-consistent field theory, which incorporates cavity-induced correlations through a second-order orbital optimization framework with robust convergence properties. The method is implemented using both photon number state and coherent state representations, with the latter showing robust origin invariance in the energies regardless of the completeness of the photonic Fock space. The implementation enables symmetry-free orbital relaxations to account for photon-mediated symmetry breaking in polaritonic systems. Numerical validation on lithium hydride, hydroxide anion, and magnesium hydride cation demonstrates that this method achieves significantly improved accuracy in modeling ground-state and polariton potential energy surfaces compared to QED-CASCI in a fixed orbital basis. In these studies, we reach sub-kcal/mol accuracy in potential energy surface in much smaller active spaces than are required for QED-CASCI. This advancement provides a more robust approach for studying cavity-altered chemical landscapes for ground and exited strongly coupled systems.

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Transferable Hirshfeld atom model for rapid evaluation of aspherical atomic form factors

Form factors based on aspherical models of atomic electron density have brought great improvement in the accuracies of hydrogen atom parameters derived from X-ray crystal structure refinement. Today, two main groups of such models are available, the banks of transferable atomic densities parametrized using the Hansen–Coppens multipole model which allows for rapid evaluation of atomic form factors and Hirshfeld atom refinement (HAR)-related methods which are usually more accurate but also slower. In this work, a model that combines the ideas utilized in the two approaches is tested. It uses atomic electron densities based on Hirshfeld partitions of electron densities, which are precalculated and stored in a databank. This model was also applied during the refinement of the structures of five small molecules. A comparison of the resulting hydrogen atom parameters with those derived from neutron diffraction data indicates that they are more accurate than those obtained with the Hansen–Coppens based databank, and only slightly less accurate than those obtained with a version of HAR that neglects the crystal environment. The advantage of using HAR becomes more noticeable when the effects of the environment are included. To speed up calculations, atomic densities were represented by multipole expansion with spherical harmonics up to l = 7, which used numerical radial functions (a different approach to that applied in the Hansen–Coppens model). Calculations of atomic form factors for the small protein crambin (at 0.73 Å resolution) took only 68 s using 12 CPU cores.

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Sequential Bond Dissociation Energies of Th + (CO) x , x = 3–6: Guided Ion Beam Collision-Induced Dissociation and Quantum Computational Studies

Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of [Th,xC,xO] + , x = 3–6, with Xe is performed using a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer (GIBMS). Products are formed exclusively by the loss of CO ligands. Analyses of the kinetic energy-dependent CID product cross sections yield bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of (CO) x–1 Th + –CO at 0 K as 1.09 ± 0.05, 0.82 ± 0.07, 0.63 ± 0.05, and 0.70 ± 0.05 eV, respectively. Different structures of [Th,xC,xO] + were explored using various electronic structure methods, and BDEs for CO ligand loss from precursor [Th,xC,xO] + complexes were computed. Both experimental and theoretical results corroborate that the structures of [Th,xC,xO] + , x = 3–6, formed experimentally are homoleptic thorium cation carbonyl complexes, Th + (CO) x . The nonmonotonic trend in experimental BDEs is reproduced theoretically, although ambiguities in the spin states of the x = 4–6 complexes (doublet or quartet) remain. BDEs calculated at the coupled cluster with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations (CCSD(T))/cc-pVXZ//B3LYP/cc-PVXZ (X = T and Q) level and a complete basis set (CBS) extrapolation agree reasonably well with the experimental values for all complexes. Thorium oxide ketenylidene carbonyl cations, OTh + CCO(CO) y , y = 1–4, were calculated to be the most stable structures of [Th,xC,xO] + , x = 3–6, respectively; however, these are not observed in our experiment. Potential energy profiles (PEPs) having either quartet or doublet spin calculated at the B3LYP/cc-pVQZ level suggest that the failure to observe OTh + CCO(CO) y , y = 1–4, is the result of a barrier corresponding to the C–C bond formation, making the formation of OTh + CCO(CO) y inaccessible kinetically under the present experimental conditions.

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TURBOMOLE: Modular program suite for ab initio quantum-chemical and condensed-matter simulations

TURBOMOLE is a collaborative, multi-national software development project aiming to provide highly efficient and stable computational tools for quantum chemical simulations of molecules, clusters, periodic systems, and solutions. The TURBOMOLE software suite is optimized for widely available, inexpensive, and resource-efficient hardware such as multi-core workstations and small computer clusters. TURBOMOLE specializes in electronic structure methods with outstanding accuracy–cost ratio, such as density functional theory including local hybrids and the random phase approximation (RPA), GW-Bethe–Salpeter methods, second-order Møller–Plesset theory, and explicitly correlated coupled-cluster methods. TURBOMOLE is based on Gaussian basis sets and has been pivotal for the development of many fast and low-scaling algorithms in the past three decades, such as integral-direct methods, fast multipole methods, the resolution-of-the-identity approximation, imaginary frequency integration, Laplace transform, and pair natural orbital methods. This review focuses on recent additions to TURBOMOLE’s functionality, including excited-state methods, RPA and Green’s function methods, relativistic approaches, high-order molecular properties, solvation effects, and periodic systems. A variety of illustrative applications along with accuracy and timing data are discussed. Moreover, available interfaces to users as well as other software are summarized. TURBOMOLE’s current licensing, distribution, and support model are discussed, and an overview of TURBOMOLE’s development workflow is provided. Challenges such as communication and outreach, software infrastructure, and funding are highlighted.

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Divergent Bimetallic Mechanisms in Copper(II)-Mediated C–C, N–N, and O–O Oxidative Coupling Reactions

Copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidative coupling of diaryl imines provides a route for conversion of ammonia to hydrazine. Here the present study uses experimental and density functional theory computational methods to investigate the mechanism of N–N bond formation, and the data support a mechanism involving bimolecular coupling of Cu-coordinated iminyl radicals. Computational analysis is extended to Cu II -mediated C–C, N–N, and O–O coupling reactions involved in the formation of cyanogen (NC–CN) from HCN, 1,3-butadiyne from ethyne (i.e., Glaser coupling), hydrazine from ammonia, and hydrogen peroxide from water. The results reveal two different mechanistic pathways. Heteroatom ligands with an uncoordinated lone pair (iminyl, NH 2 , OH) undergo charge transfer to Cu II , generating ligand-centered radicals that undergo facile bimolecular radical–radical coupling. Ligands lacking a lone pair (CN and CCH) form bridged binuclear diamond-core structures that undergo C–C coupling. This mechanistic bifurcation is rationalized by analysis of spin densities in key intermediates and transition states, as well as multiconfigurational calculations. Radical–radical coupling is especially favorable for N–N coupling owing to energetically favorable charge transfer in the intermediate and thermodynamically favorable product formation.

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Probing pH-Dependent Dehydration Dynamics of Mg and Ca Cations in Aqueous Solutions with Multi-Level Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The dehydration of aqueous calcium and magnesium cations is the most fundamental process controlling their reactivity in chemical and biological phenomena, such as the formation of ionic solids or passing through ion channels. It holds particular relevance in light of recent advancements in the development of carbon capture techniques that rely on mineralization for long-term carbon storage. Specifically, dehydration of Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ is a key step in proposed carbon capture processes aiming to exploit the relatively high concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide in seawater via the formation of carbonate minerals from solvated Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ cations for sequestration and storage. Nevertheless, atomic-scale understanding of the dehydration of aqueous Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ cations remains limited. Here, we utilize rare event sampling via density functional theory molecular dynamics and embedded wavefunction theory calculations to elucidate the dehydration dynamics of aqueous Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ . Emphasis is placed on the investigation of the effect pH has on the stability of the different coordination environments. Here, our results reveal significant differences in the dehydration dynamics of the two cations and provide insight into how they may be modulated by pH changes.

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Structure of Novel Phosphonium-Based Ionic Liquids with S and O Substitutions from Experiments and a Mixed Quantum-Classical Approach

This article presents experimental characterization information and synchrotron X-ray scattering measurements on a set of novel O- and S-substituted phosphonium-based ionic liquids (ILs) all coupled with the bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (FSI-) anion. The ILs include the ethoxyethyltriethylphosphonium (P 222(2O2) + ) and triethyl[2-(ethylthio)ethyl]phosphonium (P 222(2S2) + ) cations, and we contrast results on these with those for unsubstituted triethylpentylphosphonium (P 2225 + ). The article also introduces a physics-based protocol that combines classical force field studies on larger simulation boxes with classical and first-principles studies on smaller boxes. The method produces significantly improved S(q) functions in the regime which in prior publications we have associated with inter- and intraionic adjacency correlations. By understanding which shorter-range structural changes improve S(q) in the q-regime of interest, we are also able to pinpoint specific deficiencies in the classical force field model. The approach we take should be quite general and could help study other complex liquids on different length scales.

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Removing Basis Set Incompleteness Error in Finite-Temperature Electronic Structure Calculations: Two-Electron Systems

We investigate the basis-set-size dependence for quantities related to interacting electrons in the canonical ensemble. Calculations are performed using exact diagonalization (finite temperature full configuration interaction method) on two-electron model systems–the uniform electron gas (UEG) and the helium atom. Our data reproduce previous observations of a competition for how the internal energy converges between the ground-state correlation energy and the high-temperature kinetic energy. We explore how this can be related to component parts of the internal energy including kinetic, exchange, and correlation energies and show there is surprising nuance in how this can be broken down into mostly monotonically converging quantities. We also show that separation of the free energy into a free energy with/without correlation allows for monotonic convergence with basis set size due to the variational principle. We find that the free energy convergence matches the previously observed convergence properties of the internal energy. We discuss the free energy divergence that happens when converging a finite basis analytical hydrogen atom to the complete basis set limit and compare this to the energies of a helium atom in a large periodic box. Reducing the box size, we saw convergence trends for the helium atom that were similar to the UEG.

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Evidence of Long-Range and Short-Range Magnetic Ordering in the Honeycomb Na 3 Mn 2 SbO 6 Oxide

We present a comprehensive study of the synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties of the honeycomb oxide Na 3 Mn 2 SbO 6 supported by neutron diffraction, heat capacity, and magnetization measurements. The refinements of the neutron diffraction patterns (150, 50, and 45 K) using the Rietveld method confirm the monoclinic (S. G. C2/m) structure. Temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibilities measured at varying fields along with the heat capacity measurements demonstrate the coexistence of long-range ordering (∼42 K) and short-range ordering (∼65 K). The field-dependent isothermal magnetization measurements at 5 K indicate a spin-flop transition around 5 T. Rietveld refinements of the low-temperature (below 45 K) neutron diffraction data further confirm the long-range magnetic ordering. In addition, the temperature variation of the lattice parameters obtained from the neutron powder diffraction analysis exhibited a distinct anomaly near the antiferromagnetic transition temperature. The appearance of the concomitant broadened backgrounds in the neutron powder diffraction data collected at 80, 50, and 45 K supports the short-range ordering. The resultant magnetic structure consists of spins that are aligned antiparallel with the nearest neighbors and also with the spins of the adjacent honeycomb layers. The occurrence of a fully ordered magnetic ground state (Neel antiferromagnetic (AFM)) in Na3Mn 2 SbO 6 consolidates the significance of fabricating new honeycomb oxides.

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