Molecular dynamics Kramers model

One way to bridge the gap between simple models used for insight, in the present case the Kramers model and its extensions, and realistic systems, is to use numerical simulations. Given a suitable force field for the molecule, the solvent, and their interaction we could run molecular dynamic simulations hoping to reproduce experimental results like those discussed in the previous section. Numerical simulations are also often used to test approximate solutions to model problems, for... 

The authors proceed to calculate the reaction rates by the flux correlation method. They find that the molecular dynamics results are well described by the Grote-Hynes theory [221] of activated reactions in solutions, which is based on the generalized Langevin equation, but that the simpler Kramers model [222] is inadequate and overestimates the solvent effect. Quite expectedly, the observed deviations from transition state theory increase with increasing values of T. 

We shall present here an equilibrium simulation of the transport of a solute across a liquid-liquid interface, which permits to measure the rate constant. This work has been done with the same rationale than other recent molecular dynamics studies of chemical kinetics /5,6/. The idea is to obtain by simulation, at the same time, a computation of the mean potential as a function of the reaction coordinate and a direct measure of the rate constant. The mean potential can then be used as an input for a theoretical expression of the rate constant, using transition state /7/, Kramers /8/ or Grote-Hynes /9/ theories for instance. The comparaison can then be done in order to give a correct description of the kinetics process. A distinct feature of molecular dynamics, with respect to an experimental testing of theoretical results, is that the numerical simulations have both aspects, theoretical and experimental. Indeed, the computation of mean potentials, as functions of the microscopic models used, is simple to obtain here whereas an analytical derivation would be a heavy task. On the other hand, the computation of the kinetics constant is more comparable to an experimental output. 

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