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Assessment of density functional methods for reaction energetics: Iridium‐catalyzed water oxidation as case study
Author(s) -
Kazaryan Andranik,
Baerends Evert Jan
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of computational chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.907
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1096-987X
pISSN - 0192-8651
DOI - 10.1002/jcc.23212
Subject(s) - basis set , density functional theory , chemistry , coupled cluster , iridium , hybrid functional , basis (linear algebra) , benchmark (surveying) , computational chemistry , cluster (spacecraft) , energetics , catalysis , dispersion (optics) , activation energy , convergence (economics) , thermodynamics , molecule , physics , quantum mechanics , mathematics , computer science , economic growth , biochemistry , geometry , geodesy , programming language , organic chemistry , economics , geography
We investigate basis set convergence for a series of density functional theory (DFT) functionals (both hybrid and nonhybrid) and compare to coupled‐cluster with single and double excitations and perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] benchmark calculations. The case studied is the energetics of the water oxidation reaction by an iridium‐oxo complex. Complexation energies for the reactants and products complexes as well as the transition state (TS) energy are considered. Contrary to the expectation of relatively weak basis set dependence for DFT, the basis set effects are large, for example, more than 10 kcal mol −1 difference from converged basis for the activation energy with “small” basis sets (DZ/6‐31G** for Ir/other atoms, or SVP) and still more than 6 kcal mol −1 for def2‐TZVPP/6‐31G**. Inclusion of the dispersion correction in DFT‐D3 schemes affects the energies of reactant complex (RC), TS, and product complex (PC) by almost the same amount; it significantly improves the complexation energy (the formation of RC), but has little effect on the activation energy with respect to RC. With converged basis, some pure GGAs (PBE‐D3, BP86‐D3) as well as the hybrid functional B3LYP‐D3 are very accurate compared to benchmark CCSD(T) calculations. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.