Computational Nanochemistry Study of the Molecular Structure and Properties of Chlorophyll a

Abstract

The M06 family of density functionals has been assessed for the calculation of the molecular structure and properties of the chlorophyll a molecule. Besides the determination of the molecular structures, the UV-Vis spectra have been computed using TD-DFT in the presence of a solvent, and the results were compared with the experimental data available. The chemical reactivity descriptors have been calculated through conceptual DFT. The active sites for nucleophilic and electrophilic attacks have been chosen by relating them to the Fukui function indices. A comparison between the descriptors calculated through vertical energy values and those arising from the Koopmans' theorem approximation have been performed in order to check for the validity of the last procedure.