Computational efficiency semiempirical molecular orbital theory

Equation (4-5) can be directly utilized in statistical mechanical Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations by choosing an appropriate QM model, balancing computational efficiency and accuracy, and MM force fields for biomacromolecules and the solvent water. Our group has extensively explored various QM/MM methods using different quantum models, ranging from semiempirical methods to ab initio molecular orbital and valence bond theories to density functional theory, applied to a wide range of applications in chemistry and biology. Some of these studies have been discussed before and they are not emphasized in this article. We focus on developments that have not been often discussed. 

Ab initio molecular orbital methodology or density functional theory [158-160] would be suited for this combined QM/MM approach. However, in order to be able to compute the QM energies along the Monte Carlo simulation, nowadays a semiempirical Hamiltonian, like AMI [161], is a much more computationally efficient method. Before using AMI, the goodness of the semiempirical results in gas phase in comparison with the ab initio ones has to be tested. For systems in which the semiempirical results are poor, the relation... 

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