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This paper generalizes the recently proposed approaches for calculating the derivative couplings between adiabatic states in density-functional theory (DFT) based on a Slater transition-state density to transitions such as singlet-singlet excitations, where a single-determinant ansatz is insufficient. The proposed approach is based on restricted open-shell Frank et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 108, 4060 (1998)] theory used to describe a spin-adapted Slater transition state. To treat the dependence of electron-electron interactions on the nuclear positions, variational linear-response density-functional perturbation theory is generalized to reference states with an orbital-dependent Kohn-Sham Hamiltonian and nontrivial occupation patterns. The methods proposed in this paper are not limited to the calculation of derivative coupling vectors, but can also be used for the calculation of other transition matrix elements. Moreover, they can be used to calculate the linear response of open-shell systems to arbitrary external perturbations in DFT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes methods for calculating the derivative couplings between adiabatic states in density-functional theory (DFT) and compares them with each other and with multiconfigurational self-consistent field calculations. They are shown to be accurate and, as expected, the costs of their calculation scale more favorably with system size than post-Hartree-Fock calculations. The proposed methods are based on single-particle excitations and the associated Slater transition-state densities to overcome the problem of the unavailability of multielectron states in DFT which precludes a straightforward calculation of the matrix elements of the nuclear gradient operator. An iterative scheme employing linear-response theory was found to offer the best trade-off between accuracy and efficiency. The algorithms presented here have been implemented for doublet-doublet excitations within a plane-wave-basis and pseudopotential framework but are easily generalizable to other excitations and basis sets. Owing to their fundamental importance in cases where the Born-Oppenheimer separation of motions is not valid, these derivative couplings can facilitate, for example, the treatment of nonadiabatic charge transfers, of electron-phonon couplings, and of radiationless electronic transitions in DFT.© 2005 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid approach for simulating proton and hydride transfer reactions in enzymes is presented. The electronic quantum effects are incorporated with an empirical valence bond approach. The nuclear quantum effects of the transferring hydrogen are included with a mixed quantum/classical molecular dynamics method in which the hydrogen nucleus is described as a multidimensional vibrational wave function. The free energy profiles are obtained as functions of a collective reaction coordinate. A perturbation formula is derived to incorporate the vibrationally adiabatic nuclear quantum effects into the free energy profiles. The dynamical effects are studied with the molecular dynamics with quantum transitions (MDQT) surface hopping method, which incorporates nonadiabatic transitions among the adiabatic hydrogen vibrational states. The MDQT method is combined with a reactive flux approach to calculate the transmission coefficient and to investigate the real-time dynamics of reactive trajectories. This hybrid approach includes nuclear quantum effects such as zero point energy, hydrogen tunneling, and excited vibrational states, as well as the dynamics of the complete enzyme and solvent. The nuclear quantum effects are incorporated during the generation of the free energy profiles and dynamical trajectories rather than subsequently added as corrections. Moreover, this methodology provides detailed mechanistic information at the molecular level and allows the calculation of rates and kinetic isotope effects. An initial application of this approach to the enzyme liver alcohol dehydrogenase is also presented. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]