Spin-Orbit Coupling and Admixture Coefficients in SA-CASSCF and MS-CASPT2, and Triplet Excitation Yield Simulated via Trajectory Surface Hopping and Calibrated SA-CASSCF in 1,2-Dioxetane Derivatives

The energy gaps, spin-orbit coupling (SOC), and admixture coefficients over a series of the configurations are evaluated by the SA-CASSCF/6-31G, SA-CASSCF/6-31G*, SA-CASSCF/ANO-RCC-VDZP, and MS-CASPT2/ANO-RCC-VDZP to reveal the extent of the inaccuracy of the SA-CASSCF. By comparing the mean absolute errors for the energy gaps and the admixture coefficient magnitudes (ACMs) measured between the SA-CASSCF/6-31G, SA-CASSCF/6-31G*, or SA-CASSCF/ANO-RCC-VDZP and the MS-CASPT2/ANO-RCC-VDZP, the SA-CASSCF/6-31G is selected as the electronic structure method in the nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulation. The major components of the ACMs of the SA-CASSCF/6-31G and MS-CASPT2/ANO-RCC-VDZP are identified and compared; we find that the ACMs are underestimated by the SA-CASSCF/6-31G, which is verified by the reasonable triplet quantum yield simulated by the trajectory surface hopping and the calibrated SA-CASSCF/6-31G. The magnitude of the singlet-triplet mixing positively correlates to the hopping probability between the mixed singlet and triplet states, which is confirmed by the computed S-T transition probability.