QM/MM Nonadiabatic Dynamics: the SHARC/COBRAMM Approach

J Chem Theory Comput. 2021 Aug 10;17(8):4639-4647. doi: 10.1021/acs.jctc.1c00318. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Abstract

We present the SHARC/COBRAMM approach to enable easy and efficient excited-state dynamics simulations at different levels of electronic structure theory in the presence of complex environments using a quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) setup. SHARC is a trajectory surface-hoping method that can incorporate the simultaneous effects of nonadiabatic and spin-orbit couplings in the excited-state dynamics of molecular systems. COBRAMM allows ground- and excited-state QM/MM calculations using a subtractive scheme, with electrostatic embedding and a hydrogen link-atom approach. The combination of both free and open-source program packages provides a modular and extensive framework to model nonadiabatic processes after light irradiation from the atomistic scale to the nano-scale. As an example, the relaxation of acrolein from S1 to T1 in solution is provided.