Issue 7, 2024

Quantum chemistry meets high-resolution spectroscopy for characterizing the molecular bricks of life in the gas-phase

Abstract

Computation of accurate geometrical structures and spectroscopic properties of large flexible molecules in the gas-phase is tackled at an affordable cost using a general exploration/exploitation strategy. The most distinctive feature of the approach is the careful selection of different quantum chemical models for energies, geometries and vibrational frequencies with the aim of maximizing the accuracy of the overall description while retaining a reasonable cost for all the steps. In particular, a composite wave-function method is used for energies, whereas a double-hybrid functional (with the addition of core–valence correlation) is employed for geometries and harmonic frequencies and a cheaper hybrid functional for anharmonic contributions. A thorough benchmark based on a wide range of prototypical molecular bricks of life shows that the proposed strategy is close to the accuracy of state-of-the-art composite wave-function methods, and is applicable to much larger systems. A freely available web-utility post-processes the geometries optimized by standard electronic structure codes paving the way toward the accurate yet not prohibitively expensive study of medium- to large-sized molecules by experimentally-oriented researchers.

Graphical abstract: Quantum chemistry meets high-resolution spectroscopy for characterizing the molecular bricks of life in the gas-phase

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 out 2023
Accepted
28 nov 2023
First published
29 nov 2023

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2024,26, 5802-5821

Quantum chemistry meets high-resolution spectroscopy for characterizing the molecular bricks of life in the gas-phase

V. Barone, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2024, 26, 5802 DOI: 10.1039/D3CP05169B

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