A harmonic approximation of intramolecular vibrations in a mixed quantum-classical methodology: Linear absorbance of a dissolved Pheophorbid-a molecule as an example

Linear absorption spectra of a single Pheophorbid-a molecule (Pheo) dissolved in ethanol are calculated in a mixed quantum-classical approach. In this computational scheme the absorbance is mainly determined by the time-dependent fluctuations of the energy gap between the Pheo ground and excited electronic state. The actual magnitude of the energy gap is caused by the electrostatic solvent solute coupling as well as by contributions due to intra Pheo vibrations. For the latter a new approach is proposed which is based on precalculated potential energy surfaces (PES) described in a harmonic approximation. To get the respective nuclear equilibrium configurations and Hessian matrices of the two involved electronic states we carried out the necessary electronic structure calculations in a DFT-framework. Since the Pheo changes its spatial orientation in the course of a MD run, the nuclear equilibrium configurations change their spatial position, too. Introducing a particular averaging procedure, these configurations are determined from the actual MD trajectories. The usability of the approach is underlined by a perfect reproduction of experimental data. This also demonstrates that our proposed method is suitable for the description of more complex systems in future investigations. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.