Zero-field splitting in nickel(II) complexes: A comparison of DFT and multi-configurational wavefunction calculations

The zero-field splitting (ZFS) is an important quantity in the electron spin Hamiltonian for S = 1 or higher. We report calculations of the ZFS in some six- and five-coordinated nickel(II) complexes (S = 1), using different levels of theory within the framework of the ORCA program package [F. Neese,...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of Chemical Physics
Main Authors: Kubica, A., Kowalewski, J., Kruk, D., Odelius, M.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: AIP Publishing 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4790167
https://pubs.aip.org/aip/jcp/article-pdf/doi/10.1063/1.4790167/14750261/064304_1_online.pdf
Description
Summary:The zero-field splitting (ZFS) is an important quantity in the electron spin Hamiltonian for S = 1 or higher. We report calculations of the ZFS in some six- and five-coordinated nickel(II) complexes (S = 1), using different levels of theory within the framework of the ORCA program package [F. Neese, Wiley Interdiscip. Rev.: Comput. Mol. Sci. 2, 73 (2012)]10.1002/wcms.81. We compare the high-end ab initio calculations (complete active space self-consistent field and n-electron valence state perturbation theory), making use of both the second-order perturbation theory and the quasi-degenerate perturbation approach, with density functional theory (DFT) methods using different functionals. The pattern of results obtained at the ab initio levels is quite consistent and in reasonable agreement with experimental data. The DFT methods used to calculate the ZFS give very strongly functional-dependent results and do not seem to function well for our systems.