Complete active space second-order field

Our group has already studied all the fluoro-, chloro-and bromo-carbenes [11-16]. We used the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) method as well as complete active space second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2) and multi-reference configuration interaction (MRCI) approaches to compute the geometries, force constants, and vibrational frequencies of the (singlet) X and A states as well as the (triplet) a states. Our theoretical studies of most of these carbenes were carried out specifically to complement LIF studies that were pursued in our laboratories by Kable et al. [6]. In addition to the determination of spectroscopic constants, the spectroscopic and theoretical studies considered dynamics on the A surfaces, i.e. whether photodissociation or internal conversion to the ground state would occur. 

A many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) approach has been combined with the polarizable continuum model (PCM) of the electrostatic solvation. The first approximation called by authors the perturbation theory at energy level (PTE) consists of the solution of the PCM problem at the Hartree-Fock level to find the solvent reaction potential and the wavefunction for the calculation of the MBPT correction to the energy. In the second approximation, called the perturbation theory at the density matrix level only (PTD), the calculation of the reaction potential and electrostatic free energy is based on the MBPT corrected wavefunction for the isolated molecule. At the next approximation (perturbation theory at the energy and density matrix level, PTED), both the energy and the wave function are solvent reaction field and MBPT corrected. The self-consistent reaction field model has been also applied within the complete active space self-consistent field (CAS SCF) theory and the complete active space second-order perturbation theory. 

Theoretical calculations were performed, initially with SCF-Xa-SW methods on a truncated model [16], and later with the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and mul-ticonfigurational complete active space second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2) methods on the full molecule [15]. The electronic structures from the two calculations were remarkably similar. The CASSCF/PT2 calculations predicted a single, dominant configuration (73%) with (a) (x) (x ) (a ) (8) (5 ). Although the formal bond order is 1.5, the effective bond order, which considers minor configurations that contribute to the ground-state wavefunction, is lower at 1.15. 

Anderson K, Malmqvist PA, Roos BO (1992) Second-order perturbation-theory with a complete active space self-consistent field reference function. J Chem Phys 96 1218... 

Reaction field theory with a spherical cavity, as proposed by Karlstrom [77, 78], has been applied to the calculation of the ECD spectrum of a rigid cyclic diamide, diazabicyclo[2,2,2]octane-3,6-dione, in an aqueous environment [79], In this case, the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2) methods were used. The qualitative shape of the solution-phase spectrum was reproduced by these reaction field calculations, although this was also approximately achieved by calculations on an isolated molecule. 

In order to correlate the solid state and solution phase structures, molecular modelling using the exciton matrix method was used to predict the CD spectrum of 1 from its crystal structure and was compared to the CD spectrum obtained in CHC13 solutions [23]. The matrix parameters for NDI were created using the Franck-Condon data derived from complete-active space self-consistent fields (CASSCF) calculations, combined with multi-configurational second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2). 

In complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) calculations with long configuration expansions the most expensive part is often the optimization of the Cl coefficients. It is, therefore, particularly important to minimize the number of Cl iterations. In conventional direct second-order MCSCF procedures , the Cl coefficients are updated together with the orbital parameters in each micro-iteration. Since the optimization requires typically 100-150 micro-iterations, such calculations with many configurations can be rather expensive. A possible remedy to this problem is to decouple the orbital and Cl optimizations , but this causes the loss of quadratic convergence. The following method allows one to update the Cl coefficients much fewer times than the orbital parameters. This saves considerable time without loss of the quadratic convergence behaviour. 

Andersson K, Malmqvist PA, Roos BO (1992) Second-order perturbation theory with a complete active space self-consistent field reference function. J Chem Phys 96 1218-1226 Tozer DJ, Amos RD, Handy NC, Roos BO, Serrano-Andres L (1999) Does density functional theory contribute to the understanding of excited states of unsaturated organic compounds Mol Phys 97 859-868... 

However, a reasonable quantitative treatment for TM systems seems to require a fairly high level of theory. One particularly promising approach has been developed by Roos [28] based on the Complete Active Space Self Consistent Field (CASSCF) method with a second order perturbation treatment of the remaining (dynamical) electron correlation effects, CASPT2. 

The need for the inclusion of higher-order effects increases with the degree of quasidegeneracy of the state considered. For this reason, much effort has been devoted to the formulation of the so-called MR MBPT [28-30]. Here, however, a number of ambiguities arises, which often limits the development of practical algorithms (c/, e.g. attempts to extend the so-called CAS-PT2 method, which is based on the complete active space self-consistent field (CAS SCF) reference, to higher than the second order). In fact, we shall see that the same problem manifests itself, even when extending the standard SR CC theory to the MR case. 

SM calculations are broadly based on either the (i) Hartree-Fock method (ii) Post-Hartree-Fock methods like the Mpller-Plesset level of theory (MP), configuration interaction (Cl), complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF), coupled cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) or (iii) methods based on DFT [24-27]. Since the inclusion of electron correlation is vital to obtain an accurate description of nearly all the calculated properties, it is desirable that SM calculations are carried out at either the second-order Mpller-Plesset (MP2) or the coupled cluster with single, double, and perturbative triple substitutions (CCSD(T)) levels using basis sets composed of both diffuse and polarization functions. 

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