Configuration truncation procedure

The truncation procedure for fiill-valence-space and N-electrons-in-N-orbitals SDTQ MCSCF waveflmctions is based on choosing split-localized molecular orbitals as configuration generators since they lead to the greatest number of deadwood configurations that can be deleted. A quite accurate estimation method of identifying the latter has been developed so that the truncation can be performed a priori. The method has been shown to be effective in applications to the molecules HNO, OCO and NCCN where, for instance, the energies of the full SDTQ[N/N] calculations are recovered to better than 1 mh by truncated expansions that require only 11.8%, 10.9% and 6.3%, respectively, of the number of determinants in the full calculations. Similar trends are observed for the FORS 1 model. 

So far, we focused on conventional quantum chemical approaches that approximate the FCI wave function by truncating the complete N-particle Hilbert space based on predefined configuration selection procedures. In a different approach, the number of independent Cf coefficients can be reduced without pruning the FCI space. This is equivalent to seeking a more efficient parameterization of the wave function expansion, where the Cl coeflBcients are approximated by a smaller set of variational parameters that allow for an optimal representation of the quantum state of interest. Different approaches, which we will call modern solely to distinguish them from the standard quantum chemical methods, have emerged from solid-state physics. 

The frequency dependence is taken into accoimt through a mixed time-dependent method which introduces a dipole-moment factor (i.e. a polynomial of first degree in the electronic coordinates ) in a SCF-CI (Self Consistent Field with Configuration Interaction) method (3). The dipolar factor, ensuring the gauge invariance, partly simulates the molecular basis set effects and the influence of the continuum states. A part of these effects is explicitly taken into account in an extrapolation procedure which permits to circumvent the sequels of the truncation of the infinite sum-over- states. 

There is also a hierarchy of electron correlation procedures. The Hartree-Fock (HF) approximation neglects correlation of electrons with antiparallel spins. Increasing levels of accuracy of electron correlation treatment are achieved by Mpller-Plesset perturbation theory truncated at the second (MP2), third (MP3), or fourth (MP4) order. Further inclusion of electron correlation is achieved by methods such as quadratic configuration interaction with single, double, and (perturbatively calculated) triple excitations [QCISD(T)], and by the analogous coupled cluster theory [CCSD(T)] [8],... 

The electron correlation problem remains a central research area for quantum chemists, as its solution would provide the exact energies for arbitrary systems. Today there exist many procedures for calculating the electron correlation energy (/), none of which, unfortunately, is both robust and computationally inexpensive. Configuration interaction (Cl) methods provide a conceptually simple route to correlation energies and a full Cl calculation will provide exact energies but only at prohibitive computational cost as it scales factorially with the number of basis functions, N. Truncated Cl methods such as CISD (A cost) are more computationally feasible but can still only be used for small systems and are neither size consistent nor size extensive. Coupled cluster... 

Since the triply and quadruply excited configurations are truncated separately, it is usually possible to shorten the Cl expansion somewhat further, if this should be desirable, by applying the procedure described in Section 2.3 to the total calculated truncated SDTQ-CI wavefunction obtained as described in this section. Thus, for the SDTQ[ 18/18] wavefunction of NCCN, an accuracy of 1 mh is achieved with 49,033 determinants by the estimation method, and with 43,038 determinants by the just mentioned additional improvement, reducing the truncation from 6.32% to 5.54% of the 776,316 determinants of the full SDTQ-CI expansion. 

A computer simulation approach has been derived that allows detailed bimolecular reaction rate constant calculations in the presence of these and other complicating factors. In this approach, diffusional trajectories of reactants are computed by a Brownian dynamics procedure the rate constant is then obtained by a formal branching anaylsis that corrects for the truncation of certain long trajectories. The calculations also provide mechanistic information, e.g., on the steering of reactants into favorable configurations by electrostatic fields. The application of this approach to simple models of enzyme-substrate systems is described. 

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