Novas espécies moleculares HSeI e HISe presentes na superfície de energia potencial (SEP) singleto 1[H, Se, I], como também a molécula diatômica monoiodeto de selênio (SeI), foram investigadas teoricamente em alto nível de teoria, CCSD(T)/CBS e SACASSCF/ MRCI, respectivamente, pela primeira vez na literatura. Todos estados eletrônicos dupletos e quartetos (Λ+S) que se correlacionam com os três primeiros canais de dissociação da molécula SeI, assim como os estados Ω associados, fornecem resultados conáveis para ajudar a entender a falta de dados experimentais de transições eletrônicas e no planejamento experimental para a determinação de parâmetros espectroscópicos. Ainda sobre este sistema, as probabilidades de transições foram calculadas para as transições X2 - X1, A1 - X1, A2 - X1, e A2 - X2, originadas pela transição proibida por spin 14Σ- X 2II, e os correspondentes tempos de vida radiativa obtidos. Os aspectos energéticos, estruturais e espectroscópicos associados aos estados estacion ários na SEP 1[H, Se, I] também foram caracterizados, assim como determinados os calores de formação dos isômeros. Os cálculos foram realizados com uma série de conjuntos de funções de base atômicas consistentes na correlação (aug-cc-pVnZ-PP, n = D, T, Q e 5) e os resultados extrapolados no limite de base completa (CBS). Contribuições de efeitos de correlação caroço-valência na função de onda e de anarmonicidade nas frequências vibracionais também foram explorados, fornecendo uma fonte de dados bastante confiáveis para estas espécies químicas ainda desconhecidas. O isômero HSeI é mais estável em relação ao HISe em 42; 04 kcal mol-1. Estes dois isômeros estão separados por uma barreira (ΔG#) de 52; 35 kcal mol-1. Correções devido aos efeitos de acoplamento spin- órbita e de relativísticos escalares também foram considerados na obtenção das energias de atomizações. Para o SeI, estimamos valores de calores de formação (ΔfH) de 36; 87 e 35; 16 kcal mol-1 a 0 K e a 298; 15 K; para o HSeI, obtivemos 18; 25 e 16; 72 kcal mol-1, respectivamente. De modo geral, esperamos que a conabilidade dos resultados presentes neste trabalho possa servir como um excelente guia para espectroscopistas na busca e caracterização dessas espécies químicas ainda desconhecidas experimentalmente. / New molecular species HSeI and HISe lying on the 1[H, Se, I] potencial energy surface (PES) as well as the diatomic molecule selenium monoiodide (SeI) were investigated theoretically for the rst time at a high level of theory, CCSD(T)/CBS and SACASSCF/MRCI, respectively. The overall picture of all doublet and quartet (Λ+S) states correlating with the three lowest dissociation channels of the SeI and the associated states provide reliable results to help understand the lack of experimental data on its transitions and to plan the investigation and determination of spectroscopic parameters. Transition probabilities were computed for the transitions X2 - X1, A1 - X1, A2 - X1, and A2 - X2, originated from the spin-forbidden 14Σ- - X 2II system, and the orresponding radiative lifetimes evaluated. The energetic, structural and spectroscopic aspects associated with the stationary points and transition state in the PES 1[H, Se, I] were also characterized, as well as the heat of formation of the isomers. Computations were carried out with the series correlation consistent basis sets (aug-cc-pVnZ-PP) and the results extrapolated to the complete basis set limit. Accounting for core-valence correlation into the wavefunction, and of anharmonic eects on the vibrational frequencies were also explored, making the results of the structural, energetic, and vibrational properties a very reliable source of data for these yet unknown species. The isomer HSeI turned out to be more stable by 42:04 kcal mol-1 than HSeI. These two isomers are separated by a barrier (ΔG#) of 52:35 kcal mol-1. Corrections arising from spin-orbit and scalar relativistic eects were also considered in the evaluation of atomization energies. For SeI, we estimate ΔfH values of 36:87 and 35:16 kcal mol-1 at 0 K and 298:15 K; for HSeI, we had 18:25 and 16:72 kcal mol-1, respectively. In general, we hope that the reliability of the results present in this work can serve as an excellent guide for spectroscopists in the search and characterization of these chemical species still unknown experimentally.

Quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) methods are a class of stochastic techniques that can be used to compute the properties of electronic systems accurately from first principles. This thesis is mainly concerned with the development of trial wave functions for QMC. An extension of the backflow transformation to inhomogeneous electronic systems is presented and applied to atoms, molecules and extended systems. The backflow transformation I have developed typically retrieves an additional 50% of the remaining correlation energy at the variational Monte Carlo level, and 30% at the diffusion Monte Carlo level; the number of parameters required to achieve a given fraction of the correlation energy does not appear to increase with system size. The expense incurred by the use of backflow transformations is investigated, and it is found to scale favourably with system size. Additionally, I propose a single wave function form for studying the electron-hole system which includes pairing effects and is capable of describing all of the relevant phases of this system. The effectiveness of this general wave function is demonstrated by applying it to a particular transition between two phases of the symmetric electron-hole bilayer, and it is found that using a single wave function form gives a more accurate physical description of the system than using a different wave function to describe each phase. Both of these developments are new, and they provide a powerful set of tools for designing accurate wave functions. Backflow transformations are particularly important for systems with repulsive interactions, while pairing wave functions are important for attractive interactions. It is possible to combine backflow and pairing to further increase the accuracy of the wave function. The wave function technology that I have developed should therefore be useful across a very wide range of problems.

Nesta tese foi analisada a evolução das propriedades eletrônicas e estruturais de oligômeros do fluoreno e de dois derivados, relacionada com a inserção gradativa de unidades monoméricas, utilizando-se os métodos de química quântica semi-empríricos, ab initio Hartree-Fock e Teoria do Funcional da Densidade (DFT). Para tal finalidade, foram realizadas análises metodológicas assaz detalhadas com os monômeros e dímeros (fluoreno, FF e TFFF), cujos resultados mostraram que os métodos semi-empíricos AM1 e PM3 são inadequados para descrever as distribuições das cargas derivadas do potencial eletrostático e, por conseguinte, as propriedades que dependem das mesmas. Além disso, as análises conformacionais realizadas para as três espécies de dímeros mostraram que ambas as estruturas estáveis do TFFF apresentaram o mesmo momento de dipolo total, provavelmente devido à influência dos átomos de flúor sobre o sistema. Ademais, com as investigações concernentes ao crescimento gradual das cadeias oligoméricas foi constatado que os espectros de UV e as energias dos orbitais fronteira calculados para os oligômeros seguiram a mesma tendência exibida por seus polímeros correspondentes, segundo os resultados de voltametria cíclica e de UV divulgados na literatura. Enquanto que os ângulos diedros adotados pelos oligômeros indicaram que suas conformações não são planares. Quanto à energia total, verificou-se que o decaimento linear relativo aos oligômeros do TFFF sucedeu aproximadamente três vezes mais rápido que o observado para os do fluoreno. Portanto, as aplicações dos fundamentos da Química Quântica e a correlação entre esses resultados teóricos e medidas experimentais reportadas na literatura, evidenciaram que com estas informações é factível estimar algumas propriedades de polímeros orgânicos ?-conjugados a partir de seus oligômeros, utilizando-se métodos de química quântica apropriados. / In this thesis, the evolution of electronic and structural properties of fluorene oligomers and two derivatives were accomplished relating to the gradual insertion of monomeric units using the quantum chemical methods semiempirical, ab initio Hartree-Fock and Density Functional Theory (DFT). For this purpose, detailed methodological analyses were performed with their monomers and dimers (fluorene, FF and TFFF). These results showed that the semiempirical methods AM1 and PM3 are inadequate to describe the atomic charges derived from electrostatic potential distributions and, hence, for the properties depending of them. In addition, the conformational analysis achieved for these three dimers showed that both stable structures found for the TFFF dimer possess the same total dipole moment, this is probably due to the influence of the fluorine atoms on the system. Moreover, with investigations regarding to the gradual increase in the oligomeric chain, it was verified that the UV spectra and the frontier orbital energies calculated for the oligomers provided the same tendency bespoken by their relative polymers from cyclic voltametry and UV measurements shown in the literature. Besides, the dihedral angles found in the oligomers indicated that their conformations are not planar. Furthermore, the total energy linear decay of the TFFF oligomers behaves approximately three times faster than that exhibited by the fluorene oligomers. In this way, the applications of the Quantum Chemistry principles and the correlation between these theoretical results and experimental data reported in the literature evidenced that using these information is feasible to estimate some properties of polymers from their oligomers by means of appropriate methods of quantum chemistry.

Desde o início do uso de ferramentas computacionais na química, pesquisadores notaram a necessidade de um adequado tratamento da correlação eletrônica para a acurada descrição da estrutura eletrônica. Algum tempo depois, perceberam que, além da correlação, haviam ainda deficiências nos resultados obtidos, as quais estavam relacionadas com efeitos relativísticos, principalmente quando tentavam tratar moléculas com átomos pesados. Um terceiro aspecto a ser levado em consideração nestes estudos diz respeito ao uso de um conjunto acurado de funções de base. No caso específico de cálculos relativísticos, se possível, tais conjuntos ainda precisam garantir a eliminação do prolapso variacional, um problema que está relacionado com uma descrição deficiente da região mais próxima dos núcleos. Com esse propósito, o conjunto RPF-4Z foi desenvolvido recentemente. Sendo assim, este projeto foi voltado para a análise comparativa da qualidade do conjunto RPF-4Z. Desta forma, foram avaliadas propriedades fundamentais das moléculas como, por exemplo, geometrias, momentos de dipolo e constantes espectroscópicas. Simultaneamente, uma propriedade desafiadora, o gradiente de campo elétrico na posição de núcleos de xenônio, também foi considerada. Os resultados obtidos até agora reforçam a eficiência do conjunto RPF-4Z, que é capaz de fornecer valores comparáveis àqueles dados por conjuntos de base de mesma qualidade, mas com menor demanda por recursos computacionais. / Early in the application of computational framework in chemistry, researchers noticed the need for an adequate electronic correlation treatment in order to accurately describe electronic structures. Some years later they realized that, besides correlation, there were also deficiencies in the results, which were related to relativistic effects, especially when dealing with molecules containing heavy atoms. A third aspect to be taken into account is related to the use of an accurate basis set. Specifically for relativistic calculations, these basis sets must also ensure the elimination of variational prolapse if possible, which is a problem related to a poor description of the innermost region close to the nuclei. Thus, the RPF-4Z basis set was recently developed for this aim. This project is focused on a comparative analysis regarding the RPF-4Z basis set\'s quality. Thereby, fundamental properties of molecules were evaluated, such as geometries, dipole moments and spectroscopic constants. At the same time, a challenging property, the electric field gradient at the xenon nuclei, was considered as well. The results obtained so far reinforce the efficiency of the RPF-4Z basis set, which is capable of providing comparable values to those obtained by same quality basis sets but with a lower demand for computational resources.

Ce travail porte sur la synthèse, la caractérisation et l’évaluation en catalyse de réduction des protons en dihydrogène, de nouveaux complexes de Ni(II), Co(III), Cu(II) et Pd(II) basés sur des ligands de type thiosemicarbazone. La nature de l’espèce catalytique active a été étudiée par voltampérométrie cyclique et des propositions de mécanisme ont été formulés sur la base de calcul quantique de type DFT.Le premier chapitre introduit le contexte scientifique. Le second chapitre concerne la synthèse et la caractérisation des ligands de type N2S2 et des complexes mononucléaires associés de Ni, Cu et Pd. Le troisième chapitre présente la synthèse et la caractérisation de complexes binucléaires de Co et trinucléaire de Ni.Les études électrochimiques de ces complexes dans le DMF en présence d’une source de protons, nous a permis d’évaluer leur efficacité catalytique. Nos résultats montrent que les complexes du Cu et du Pd présentent une vague irréversible spécifique pour la réduction des protons, mais une décomposition est observée durant l’électrolyse. Par contre, les complexes de Ni et de Co ont montré une stabilité électrochimique ainsi que de bonnes performances catalytiques. En particulier, le nouveau complexe mononucléaire de Ni présente des propriétés catalytiques remarquables qui le classent parmi les meilleurs catalyseurs de la réduction des protons décrits dans la littérature. L’ensemble de ce travail fourni une description complète du comportement électrochimique des ligands de type N2S2 complexés à des métaux de transition. Il permet d’envisager des développements futurs dans l’amélioration des propriétés catalytiques de ces complexes. / This work focuses on the synthesis, the characterization and the catalytic evaluation in the reduction of protons into dihydrogen, of new complexes of Ni(II), Co(III), Cu(II) and Pd(II) based ligands Type thiosemicarbazone. The catalytically active species during the process of the proton reduction was studied by cyclic voltammetry and mechanisms were formulated on the basis quantum chemical calculation.The first chapter introduces the scientific context, the goals and the main objectives of this work. The second chapter concerns the synthesis and the characterization of the N2S2 ligands and their associated mononuclear complexes, Ni, Cu and Pd. The third chapter presents the synthesis and the characterization of binuclear Co and trinuclear Ni based on N2S2 ligand.Electrochemical studies of these complexes in DMF in the presence of a proton source (trifluoroacetic acid), allowed us to evaluate their catalytic efficiency. Our results show that Cu and Pd complexes have a specific irreversible wave for the reduction of protons, but decomposition is observed during electrolysis, which makes these uninteresting complexes for the reduction of protons.On the contrary, Ni and Co complexes showed an electrochemical stability and good catalytic performances. In particular, the new mononuclear Ni complex exhibits remarkable catalytic properties that rank it among the best catalysts for the reduction of protons reported in the literature. All this work provided a complete description of the electrochemical behavior of N2S2 thiosemicarbazone ligands complexed to transition metals. It allows considering future developments in improving the catalytic properties of these complexes.

De nos jours, la capacité à synthétiser de nouveaux catalyseurs métallique bioinspirés pour améliorer et élargir le spectre d'activité catalytique est d’une importance capitale pour une chimie respectueuse de notre environnement.Cette thèse se concentre sur la conception de nouveaux complexes de métaux de transition (cuivre et palladium) basés sur deux classes différentes de ligands organiques : les benzotriazolyle-phénolates et les phosphonates. La synthèse et la caractérisation de nouveaux composés a été réalisée par différentes méthodes physico-chimiques (électrochimie, EPR, UV-vis, IR, cristallographie aux rayons X) et la chimie théorique. La génération et la caractérisation des différentes espèces réduites et oxydées nous ont aidés dans la détermination des mécanismes possible. Les composés obtenus ont été utilisés avec succès comme catalyseurs dans divers procédés tels que: la production d'hydrogène, l'oxydation d'alcool et le clivage d'ADN. / Nowadays, the ability to synthesize new bioinspired metal catalysts to improve and broaden the spectrum of catalytic activity is of paramount importance for sustainable chemistry respectful for our environment. This thesis is focused on the design of transition metal complexes (copper and palladium) based on two different classes of organic ligands: benzotriazolyl-phenolates and phosphonates.Different original complexes based on palladium and copper were synthetized from benzotriazolyl-phenolate and phosphonates ligands. The characterization of the new compounds was performed by different physical and physico-chemical methods (electrochemistry, EPR, UV-vis, IR, X-ray crystallography) and quantum chemistry. The generation and characterization of different reduced and oxidized species helped us in the possible mechanisms determination. The obtained compounds were successfully employed as catalysts in different processes as: hydrogen production, alcohol oxidation and DNA cleavage.

<p>Hybrid density functional theory (DFT) B3LYP method is applied to study the four diverse enzyme systems: <i>zinc-containing peptidases</i> (thermolysin and stromelysin),<i> methyl-coenzyme M reductase</i>, <i>ribonucleotide reductases</i> (classes I and III), and <i>superoxide dismutases</i> (Cu,Zn- and Ni-dependent enzymes). Powerfull tools of modern quantum chemistry are used to address the questions of biological pathways at their molecular level, proposing a novel mechanism for methane production by methyl-coenzyme M reductase and providing additional insights into hydrolysis by zinc peptidases, substrate conversion by ribonucleotide reductases, and biological superoxide dismutation. Catalysis by these enzymes, with the exception of zinc peptidases, involves radical chemistry.</p>

In this thesis I have performed theoretical studies on the reaction dynamics in few-atom molecules. In particular, I have looked at reaction processes in which highly excited resonant states are involved. When highly excited states are formed, the dynamics becomes complicated and approximations normally used in chemical reaction studies are no longer applicable.To calculate the potential energy curve for some of these states as a function of internuclear distance, a combination of structure calculations and scattering calculations have to be performed, and the reaction dynamics on the potentials has been studied using both time-independent and time-dependent methods.The processes that have been studied and which are discussed in this thesis are ion-pair formation in electron recombination with H3+, dissociative recombination and ion-pair formation of HF+, mutual neutralization in H++F- collisions and dissociative recombination of BeH+. Isotope effects in these reactions have also been investigated. Our calculated cross sections are compared with experimentally measured cross sections for these reactions.

Hybrid density functional theory (DFT) B3LYP method is applied to study the four diverse enzyme systems: zinc-containing peptidases (thermolysin and stromelysin), methyl-coenzyme M reductase, ribonucleotide reductases (classes I and III), and superoxide dismutases (Cu,Zn- and Ni-dependent enzymes). Powerfull tools of modern quantum chemistry are used to address the questions of biological pathways at their molecular level, proposing a novel mechanism for methane production by methyl-coenzyme M reductase and providing additional insights into hydrolysis by zinc peptidases, substrate conversion by ribonucleotide reductases, and biological superoxide dismutation. Catalysis by these enzymes, with the exception of zinc peptidases, involves radical chemistry.

The Quantum chemical cluster approach has been shown to be quite powerful and efficient in the modeling of enzyme active sites and reaction mechanisms. In this thesis, the reaction mechanisms of several enzymes have been investigated using the hybrid density functional B3LYP. The enzymes studied include four dinuclear zinc enzymes, namely dihydroorotase, N-acyl-homoserine lactone hydrolase, RNase Z, and human renal dipeptidase, two trinuclear zinc enzymes, namely phospholipase C and nuclease P1, two tungstoenzymes, namely formaldehyde ferredoxin oxidoreductase and acetylene hydratase, aspartate α-decarboxylase, and mycolic acid cyclopropane synthase. The potential energy profiles for various mechanistic scenarios have been calculated and analyzed. The role of the metal ions as well as important active site residues has been discussed.   In the cluster approach, the effects of the parts of the enzyme that are not explicitly included in the model are taken into account using implicit solvation methods.   For all six zinc-dependent enzymes studied, the di-zinc bridging hydroxide has been shown to be capable of performing nucleophilic attack on the substrate. In addition, one, two, or even all three zinc ions participate in the stabilization of the negative charge in the transition states and intermediates, thereby lowering the barriers.   For the two tungstoenzymes, several different mechanistic scenarios have been considered to identify the energetically most feasible one. For both enzymes, new mechanisms are proposed.   Finally, the mechanism of mycolic acid cyclopropane synthase has been shown to be a direct methyl transfer to the substrate double bond, followed by proton transfer to the bicarbonate.   From the studies of these enzymes, we demonstrate that density functional calculations are able to solve mechanistic problems related to enzymatic reactions, and a wealth of new insight can be obtained.