Couplage de modèles de chimie quantique et d’algorithmes haute performance pour l’exploration globale du paysage énergétique de systèmes atomiques et moléculaires. – (Valentin Milia/ LAAS-LCPQ / Thesis). – 27/09/2024, 14H

Thesis defence

Valentin Milia, LAAS- Salle Europe 7 avenue du Colonel Roche 3107 TOULOUSE Cedex 4,

Abstract : The primary aim of this thesis is to develop efficient methods for characterizing molecular conformations at a quantum level. Various methods devoted to the computation of molecular potential energy are reviewed, as well as the most popular potential energy surfaces (PES) global exploration schemes. In this context, a key contribution of this thesis is the coupling of the robotics-inspired Iterative Global exploration and LOcal Optimization (IGLOO) method, implemented in the MoMA software, with the quantum Density-Functional based Tight-Binding (DFTB) potential, implemented in the deMonNano software. The IGLOO algorithm integrates the motion planning Rapidly-exploring Random Trees (RRT) algorithm with local optimization and structural filtering. A proof of concept has been done through the identification of low-energy conformations of the alanine dipeptide.

The IGLOO/DFTB coupling has been applied to the mapping of the PES of three close-sized molecules of the phthalate family (dibutyl phthalate DBP, benzyl butyl phthalate BBP and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate DEHP), providing detailed insights into their different conformational landscapes. Various geometrical descriptors have been used to analyze their structure-energy relationships. Coulomb interactions, steric hindrance, and dispersive interactions have been found to drive the geometric properties and a strong correlation has been evidenced between the two dihedral angles describing the side-chains orientation of the phthalate molecules. The results demonstrate the method’s capability to identify low-energy minima without prior knowledge of the PES.
Furthermore, an innovative algorithm for the large-scale generation of molecular structures, including a conformational variety, is presented. It combines molecular graph generation with atom or fragment addition techniques. It is applied to provide an extensive database of 3D structures of hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-CH) molecules. The analysis of the database generated in this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the geometrical and electronic descriptors of a-C:H structures. These properties are compared with those of compact Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and linear chains, representing limit cases.

Finally, a review is given on methods aiming at identifying saddle points and transition paths between low-energy conformations on the PES. A first step toward the identification of transition paths between low-energy conformations using a motion planning algorithm, known as Transition-based Rapidly-exploring Random Trees (T-RRT), is presented. A similarity measure, designated as the Symmetrized Segment-Path Distance (SSPD), is used to compare the generated trajectories. Subsequently, a clustering technique, namely the Hierarchical Clustering Analysis (HCA), is employed to group similar trajectories in order to identify the common pathways, thereby providing valuable insights into the dynamics of conformational changes. The methodology has been successfully applied to the identification of low-energy paths between two minima of the alanine dipeptide PES.

Overall, the research presents significant advancements in the exploration of complex molecular PES at a quantum level including (i) the IGLOO/DFTB coupling (ii) a novel algorithm for 3D structure generation of large-scale molecules and (iii) an original scheme allowing for the identification of multiple transition paths. Correlations between the structural, energetic and electronic properties have been evidenced for the polluting phthalate molecules and astrophysically relevant hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-CH) molecules. These contributions pave the way for future research, aiming to extend these methods to larger and more complex systems.